


What the Meteor Brought

by WyrmLivvy



Series: Smallville / Final Fantasy VII Fusion AU [1]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII, Smallville, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Ableism, Adventure, Aliens, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Amnesia, Angst, Body Dysphoria, Bodyguard Lex, Canon Disabled Character, Character(s) of Color, Child Abuse, Clark Saves Lex, Class Differences, Dating, Disabled Character, Drama, Dystopia, Female Character of Color, Gen, Horror, Human Experimentation, Humor, Lex Saves Clark, M/M, Magic, Misgendering, Secret Identity, Trans Female Character, Transphobia, Virgin Clark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-01
Updated: 2015-09-25
Packaged: 2018-04-12 08:14:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 50,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4471949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WyrmLivvy/pseuds/WyrmLivvy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Smallville / Final Fantasy VII Fusion AU starring Lex as Sephiroth and Clark as Aerith.</p><p>First Class SOLDIER General Alexander Luthor attempts to ditch his bodyguard/babysitter, and somehow ended up with a boyfriend.</p><p>People who are only familiar with Smallville should be able to read this fic without any problems, as I intend it that way. But FFVII only people will be lost. </p><p>There will actually be several(?) Major Character Deaths in the course of this story but most are temporary or fakeouts. It's an Eventual Happy Ending, I promise.</p><p>More characters and tags will be added as they show up in the story and are relevant.</p><p>EDIT 9/25/2015: I made an important retcon for Chapter 3 so Lex knows Tess is leaking info to someone in WATCHTOWER, but does not know who the person is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fatum

**Author's Note:**

> This whole thing started because I was thinking about what could justify Lex's alien paranoia, it's not as if Clark is John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) but then I thought about Final Fantasy VII's Jenova...
> 
> Unbeta'd. 
> 
> See the end for a character/terms cheat sheet.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lex and Clark meet in an alley while running away from people.

Lex thought he had made a clean getaway. His father, Lionel Luthor, would be displeased but let him be. Lex deserved his break and he wasn’t going to spend it being shadowed by one of the Virtues. He was finally back in Metropolis and all he wanted was to be left alone.

He was proved wrong about his success seconds later as he crashed into a stranger that had darted into the same alley he did. The stranger fell to the ground but Lex did not. Lex knew he was stronger, faster, different from regular humans otherwise he wouldn’t be the top First Class SOLDIER and General he was. He felt guilty. Yes, this stranger had gotten in his path but a regular civilian didn’t deserve to run into him.

“Ow.” Said the stranger, a young man with dark brown hair and green eyes. He was dressed in flannel and jeans which wouldn’t be so strange, bad fashion sense aside, except that he was also wearing a red hooded cloak, the hood had lowered when he fell which was why Lex could see his face. He frowned slightly at Lex his gaze growing more intense. He looked at Lex from head to toe, not directly on him, but like there was something surrounding Lex. 

Is something on my face? Lex wondered. Is it because I’m bald? Could the man tell that Lex was a freak SOLDIER, a member of LuthorCorp's special experimental corps of supersoldiers, just from a look?

Lex realized that the man had been carrying a basket filled with sunflowers. The flowers had fallen with him, scattered over the dirty ground. That was surprising, not much grew around Metropolis, thanks to LuthorCorp - his family’s eight krypton reactors, one for each sector of the city. But the reactors were why the city existed and the people of the upper levels lived in luxury. Not so much the people who lived in the slums, under the huge solar plates that supported the LuthorCorp Headquarters. Speaking of luxuries, flowers were a luxury item. That might explain why the man was in the upper levels, his clothes certainly didn’t match, maybe he had been selling the flowers. Until Lex wrecked his inventory. Lex groaned.

“Let me help.” Lex said, offering his hand. The man nodded and took it, climbing to his feet, but his eyes still hadn't left Lex. He brushed himself off, breaking his stare briefly to glance at the basket he held. Only two sunflowers were still inside.

“Cure.” Lex murmured. The pale green materia orb attached to the bangle on his wrist glowed. The red-cloaked man was covered in a soft yellow-green glow which dissipated shortly. Really, Lex had only bumped into him. It shouldn’t be severe, but just in case.

“Ahh.” The man said, surprised. “Thank you.” He pulled his hood, trying to cover his eyes which were still trained near Lex's body.

Lex didn't think he looked that strange. Maybe his clothes were too expensive looking and the man had never seen such material before?

"Is something wrong with my body?" Lex asked. Because the hooded man kept looking at it, or to the side of it. "You're staring."

"Oh! I'm sorry." The man said, embarrassed. He stopped looking but Lex could tell it was a struggle for him.

“Cura.” Lex said after a beat, using Cure Level 2. Maybe the man had hit his head too hard falling down. The materia glowed again and the stranger was covered in the same glow, but stronger. Almost all of the materia Lex had were fully maxed, he could use Curaja if he wanted to.

“I’m alright now, really.” The man stammered, his face was turning a even redder, resembling the shade of his cloak. Lex could tell even if his face was shadowed by the red hood again. “You didn’t hurt me. Just-” He looked down at his ruined sunflowers.

“Hold it right there!” A soldier appeared yelling, gun pointed at the man - Lex still didn’t know his name. Lex twitched, reflexively moving to cover the man, but then the gun turned to point at him.

The soldier wouldn’t have recognized Lex. Lex was in his civilian clothes, purple shirt, dark jacket and matching slacks. In battle he wore all black leather, and he had a full faced mask, also black. Currently, he even had on special contacts that hid the glow of his eyes. He didn’t have his famous blade at his side, the gladius named Kopis. Lex kind of wished he did, but regardless, with his superior strength and speed he could take on regular soldiers easily.

The stranger reacted by putting himself in front of Lex.

Oh for Gaia’s sake.

Between the two of them if anyone could survive bullets I’d be Lex. He’s been shot numerous times but he’s always healed. If the fool didn’t move Lex might really have a reason to use Curaja.

Things got worse. Charity showed up behind Lex so now he and the stranger were surrounded.

“Sir.” Charity said. “I thought I lost you.” She had her gun lowered but it was in Lex’s general direction.

Lex turned his back on her and grabbed a hold of the young man, turning his body to the side so Lex was kind of curled around him. He had a higher chance of blocking any shots that could come. “Do you trust me?” Lex whispered into an ear. “Hold on.”

Two more soldiers showed up to back the first.

Lex could feel him shiver. “Yes.” Lex could feel the man turn and hold him back. Good.

The worst was when Mercy and Hope arrived too, on the side of the soldiers.

“Wall.” Lex murmured, using Level 4 Barrier magic. The materia on his wrist bangle glowed. Soon the both of them were surrounded by a light-blue, almost transparent bubble.

He jumped. Lex scaled the walls of the alley by using gaps or loose bricks as a foothold, fast enough that it was like flying. Not that Lex ever flew before without the aid of machines. He wondered what it would be like though, to have wings.

He ran, holding his guest bridal style (because it put his body in front while Lex’s back was the shield), ignoring the sounds of shots being fired behind him.

They were pursued.

The familiar sensation of Destruct magic fell upon Lex suddenly.

DeBarrier.

The Wall surrounding them shattered into glass and dissipated. Lex recoiled and he could feel his passenger’s grip tighten.

A Fira blast narrowly missed them.

Damn. There a battle mage along the soldiers. Whoever was trying to capture the person Lex held, knew what they were doing. Tess. Lex thought. It had to be his older half-sister who was carrying out the operation. 

"Silence." Lex said, activating his Seal materia. 

The mage's lips moved but no more spells appeared.

Lex continued to move. What was so special about the person he carried? He looked at the man in his arms, trying to see if there was something on his person that would be a satisfactory explanation. 

The man had already been staring back. He broke eye contact and might have mistaken the look as a plea for help because he muttered something that sounded like “Blizzard” and ice rapidly formed in front of their pursuers.

Watching the spreading ice, Lex regret that he did have destructive materia but he didn’t have them equipped, and only defensive ones. Mostly. Lex smiled and activated his Transform materia, along with his Mega All materia, casting Toad at the soldiers.

That should stop them for a while.

He continued fleeing.

"They'll change back eventually." Lex chuckled at the horrified look his passenger was giving him.

Once they were far enough away and out of sight atop a shadowed building, Lex lowered the man carefully.

“Cu-” Lex began.

“No, geez. You must be tried from carrying me so far.” The cloaked man said, flustered. “I’m fine. No more magic. It’s tough on your mind. You used Wall, right? Level 4 Barrier magic, Seal magic...and Transform magic, not even Mini but the maxed level Toad...”

“Wall was destroyed, my Seal materia isn't maxed, and Toad didn't succeed on some of them.” Lex said, surprised the man could recognize the spells as such, though Lex’s tone didn’t reveal it.

“Well, don’t feel bad. That’s what Destruct magic does. And Toad doesn't work easily.”

Interesting. How far did this mysterious person’s knowledge go? He appeared to know how materia worked. To use a materia's power, a shock triggered by the user's mind waves is required but as a result the user's mind is weakened and frequent use of materia without rest taxed stamina. It was all rather scientific and those that didn't know better thought of it as magic. It was still generally called magic, even Lex fell into the habit, but there were rules and principles to it. 

Perhaps he even knew how they are formed? Materia was crystallized krypton and materia called upon the wisdom of the Lifestream, the ethereal substance that flowed beneath the surface of the Planet, to manipulate nature, manifesting as the phenomenon of magic. Materia was the only way humans could use magic, unless one was an Ancient, an old race that could use magic without materia. Supposedly. They were a ridiculous legend, the stuff of children’s fairytales, and if they had existed once, they were long gone. Supposedly, LuthorCorp had excavated the preserved body of a Kryptonian decades ago but if it was around Lex certainly hadn't seen it before in the labs and he's been in laboratories alot.

“You weren’t so bad yourself, with that ice spell.” Lex said.

“I just wanted to block their path and get us more time to escape.” He said, pulling out an ice materia from his hood and waving it in front of Lex as if to say “See. here it is, I really used it”.

Lex wondered how much more materia the man had hiding on his person. It made sense he had ice. Now if he used something rarer and more advanced that would be really extraordinary. As it is, most people didn’t get past the first level of spells. But Lex didn't go around thinking anyone who could cast an Level 2 spell was special. It was uncommon but not that uncommon.

However, this person might really be something considering the people after him. My people, Lex thought. Luthor people. Lex had to talk to the Virtues. Tess too.

“Where did you get familiar with materia?” Lex asked. He didn’t think someone from the slums of Metropolis was likely to know about Barrier magic considering that only the basic Fire, Ice, Lightning and Restore were sold there. Better materia were rarer and expensive, unless one was lucky enough to find naturally formed materia.

“I have a friend that taught me things. She’s really good at using materia magic. The best. Or I thought she was until I saw you cast those high level spells.” He explained.

“I see.” Lex said. “Do you think you’re good? At using materia I mean.”

He looked distinctly uncomfortable as if he realized he had revealed things he shouldn’t have. “I’m not that good at using...materia.” He admitted.

Not that good?

If the cloaked man wanted to he could have hurt the soldiers but he had just blocked the path.

The strength and coverage of the spell meant that it had to be a Level 2 Ice, Blizzara, at least, or strangely between 2 and 3 as if the man had been holding back.

Lex decided to change the topic. “I’d like to meet her. But first, what is your name, if I may ask? I didn’t seem to catch it.” Lex grinned.

“Oh.” I didn’t introduced myself, if Ma and Pa knew I was this rude...” He was blushing again. It was distractingly cute. “My name is Clark. May I know yours?”

“It’s Lex.” It was Lex’s turn to cringe. He hoped Clark wouldn’t connect it to General Alexander. Plenty of people were named Alexander after all. Well, more so young children these days, their parents eager to name children after the great hero, General Alexander, conquerer of Xanthu.

Lex didn’t feel like a hero. He wanted his father’s love and he had it, right? But it felt hollow and fake, not what he’d imagined. The people of Xanthu had held out for so long, eight years, and now it was over. Had been for two years. But there were other problems LuthorCorp needed solved.

There were problems where Lionel was pitting Lex against Tess to find solutions for in a bid for his approval.

There was the anti-LuthorCorp eco-terrorist group WATCHTOWER to root out and destroy. They had damaged Atlantis' Underwater Reactor, which was still in the process of being fixed and having its security upgraded. There was a leak somewhere in LuthorCorp. It had to be a high level employee who was spilling secrets and they were why WATCHTOWER was enjoying the success it had. It was of vital importance the informant be found and stopped.

There were also a bunch of escaped test subjects and lab specimens Lionel wanted back, some had been escaped for years and only now resources were opened up to find them because the Xanthu War was over. The war was over but there was the matter of Xanthu’s princess who had been sent away from her homeland, exiled for her safety. She was out there somewhere and she needed to be captured or killed. Despite LuthorCorp securing their hold over Xanthu - the krypton reactor they objected to for so long was already completely built, but there was still hope and resistance as long as their Princess was alive. Supposedly. Xanthu didn't seem to be a threat anymore. The regent Nell, to show a commitment to peace, had allowed LuthorCorp to confiscate all of the country's materia, and banned her subjects from using it.

Lex had not understood the Xanthu people’s vehemence although he admired it. The chosen site was a sacred one, which had been a part of their objection. But to Lex, a nonbeliever, earth was earth and he had traveled a lot of it in order to secure territory for the reactors. Krypton reactors, invented by Lionel decades ago, worked by extracting the Lifestream, the ethereal substance that flowed beneath the surface of the Planet, and processing it into liquid krypton energy. Krypton energy made electricity, thus people lead comfortable lives. Metropolis’ eight krypton reactors were why the city’s massive power demands could be met even if the trade-off was the surrounding countryside being barren.

Lionel was asking him to find the Promised Land - a land rich and overflowing with the Lifestream, and a part of the Ancient’s legends, so a Neo-Metropolis could be made, a question he thought Lionel had stopped asking long ago after he realized that Lex didn't have the answer. For years Lex's military victories meant Lionel was proud of him on some level. Territory after territory, those that resisted the building of krypton reactors fell to LuthorCorp's armies, lead by Lex and other SOLDIER. But now that was mostly over, LuthorCorp's hold on the Planet was secure, and Lex still didn’t have an answer. He hadn’t stumbled upon it while on his campaigns. Lionel would lecture and Lex would be a disappointment.

If Lex found that place many more reactors would be made. Some people didn’t like the reactors. But the rumors that the krypton reactors were unsafe, bad, and unsustainable, were just that, rumors. Lies long disproved by LuthorCorp’s top scientists. But the rumors still spread, especially by that ridiculous rag, the Daily Planet, or rather its full morbid name “Daily, the Planet is dying”. It was the worst kind of rubbish and it didn't matter. LuthorNews in the media industry, like LuthorCorp in the energy industry had a practical monopoly.

Lex had no interest in dealing with any of these problems facing LuthorCorp. He just wanted a break.

He had gotten so lost in thought he hadn’t noticed Clark’s question until he repeated it. Clark was looking at him worriedly.

“Hey, I didn’t put you off, right? If you don’t want to, just say so.” Clark said.

“Huh?” Lex said, feeling incredibly foolish.

“You’re strong, right? I’d like to make use of your services…”

My services? Was Clark pretending he didn’t know what this sounded like.

“I want you to be my bodyguard.”

Oh. Lex realized Clark was trying to put something into his hand. It was money. 500 Gil.

Lex decided not to say anything about how as a Luthor, that was chump change to him. Also, he was kind of offended.

“I’m not some mercenary.” Lex growled.

“S-sorry.” Said Clark. “I’m not really sure how things work.”

How things worked? What, was this guy raised away from the rest of society or something? But he said he had parents and a friend.

“I’ll be your bodyguard…” Lex began.

Clark had a beautiful smile.

“…but you have to tell me why they were after you.” Why were Mercy and Hope, the Virtues, after him?

The smile disappeared. Clark thought for awhile before he began to speak with extreme hesitance. “You did just help me escape from being captured again just now."

"Captured again"? Lex thought.

"I was…a test subject. I didn’t like it. My mother rescued me and I ran away with her.”

Lex was surprised by Clark’s honesty. So he was one of LuthorCorp’s many escaped test subjects. Lex generally did not feel sympathy for them, people who had signed up, found the experiments too strenuous and wanted to quit but by then were too much a part of company secrets. 

Lex didn’t know he who his own mother was, just that Lionel was his father. And because of that he done Lionel’s bidding for so many years. Lex realized what he was feeling was jealousy. He wished he had a mother who could carry him away from Lionel.

There were always ongoing experiments into producing stronger SOLDIER members. And SOLDIER members were hard to produce, only those strong of mind and body would survive the secret process. Supposedly, Lex had gone through the process at one point but admittedly there were also gaps in his memory. Lionel wasn’t forthcoming with answers. Lex had learned to live with it and ignore the feeling of always missing something. Besides the battles had kept him busy. Despite new research, Lex was still the best SOLDIER.

There were also ongoing research in the weapons department, research into bionic and cybernetic implants. Usually test subjects were volunteers and were compensated but Clark didn’t seem like he’d be a willing subject. Clark obviously wanted to be and free and alive. Except for that instance he had stood in front of Lex when a gun was pointed at him. That had been obviously unsound.

Lex realized Clark was waiting for him to give an answer.

“It’s agreed. I’ll be your bodyguard.”

“But you would need payment.” Clark said, he was still holding out the Gil.

Lex sighed. He reached for Clark’s basket. The two sunflowers had remained in the basket despite all the maneuvering they had done. Lex took one of them. “I will consider this as my payment.” He said.

Clark frowned. “No.”

No? Clark was the one who was insisting Lex be his bodyguard and now he was saying no?

“What-” Lex began but then Clark’s expression changed as if he had a sudden epiphany.

“I’ll pay you with a date, how’s that sound?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope having Lex do the info dumps for Krypton reactors, materia, etc. weren’t too bad. I don't want SV only peeps to get lost but his is unbeta'd.
> 
> This is an Fusion AU so this isn't exactly SV because it's deeply tied to the FFVII world. I will include more notes as they are needed.
> 
> I know Alexander the Great is Greek and the gladius is Roman but I'm not having Lex wield the Masamune katana because that's massively weeaboo-y(which the show had some moments of) and impractical. The weapon Alexander the Great wielded is actually called a kopis but gladius is more well-known in pop culture so Kopis (meaning "I cut") is the name of his gladius.
> 
> Here are things introduced this chapter:  
> Krypton(liquid not gas)-Mako  
> Materia (Crystallized Krypton/Mako) I'm not calling it Kryptonia because that sounds like a bad Sailor Moon Villain. Materia is the core of FVII's magic/battle system. I hope it was clear within the story but materia can be leveled up mastered. Each level takes more MP to cast and the spell is stronger.  
> Cure1-Cure, Cure2-Cura, Cure3-Curaga, Cure4-Curaja(strongest)  
> Equipped materia only hit one target. For hitting more, the materia slots on an item have to be connected and an All Materia needs to be linked to the relevant materia. A connected two socket with All+Fire means Fire spells hit all targets but if the slots are unlinked it doesn't work. If Ice is also equipped the All Materia only counts for the Fire and not the Ice. There is an extremely rare materia called Mega All, which means all equipped materia will target all enemies. Naturally, Lex owns such a materia. There's also tri-linked materia slots.
> 
> For a visual see this picture: https://rpgsquare.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/final-fantasy-vii-materia.png
> 
> I have no idea how big materia actually are, I just think the Advent Children movie made them too big. Let's just say they are round and vary in smallness but can fit into weapon and armor slots.
> 
> People, Places, etc. :  
> 1st the Smallville role & then their respective FFVII counterpart:  
> ??? means someone has more than 1 role or several roles but the natures of which won't be revealed yet.
> 
> Lex-Sephiroth & ???  
> Clark-Aerith  
> Virtues-Turks  
> Mercy-Tseng (if you’d like a reference for what Mercy looks like in this AU think Tao Okamoto who will be playing Mercy in the Batman v Superman movie)  
> Hope- Rude  
> Charity- Reno  
> Lionel-President Shinra Sr & ???  
> Tess-Rufus Shinra & ??? 
> 
> Watchtower-AVALANCHE  
> LuthorCorp-Shinra Electrical Power Company (Shinra Inc)  
> Luthor News-Shinra News  
> The Daily Planet -Shinra Truths
> 
> Kryptonians-Cetra (Ancients)
> 
> Atlantis-Junon (Atlantis is a just a regular coastal city here)  
> Metropolis-Midgar  
> Xanthu-Wutai (the only "Asian" country in FFVII's pseudo-European world. I picked Xanthu because of comics canon, and it sounds like Xanadu from the Kublai Khan poem so it retains those connotations)  
> I said the regent is Nell so it's already obvious who the Princess is.


	2. Occurro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Chapter 1, I used Lex pov to info dump about problems LuthorCorp is facing.  
> Now in Chapter 2, I used Lex pov to info dump about LuthorCorp’s executive structure.  
> Still unbeta'd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warnings: Child abuse, Transphobia, misgendering, ableism (because Lionel), homophobic slur
> 
> [Lex’s battle outfit actually looks something like this (except with a dark shirt too)](http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/File:DC_PO_Restrictor_2.jpg)
> 
> [(the Restrictor outfit designs was too perfect okay, keeping with the Greco-Roman theme)](http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/File:DC_PO_Restrictor_1.jpg)

Lex wanted the meeting to be over before it began. At least there was something to look forward to though. His date with Clark. 

Lex looked like a demon, a nightmare. He was in his general outfit, black helmet and full, broad black cloak that made him look bigger than he was. No one could see his face or body, and under the cloak he was twiddling his thumbs while daydreaming about his boyfriend. 

Lex had agreed and decided to start his job by escorting Clark back to his home. Clark had accepted being lead back to his neighborhood, the Sector 7 Metropolis slums, but before Lex could see his home, Clark had stopped and told Lex he would be fine walking the rest of the way. Lex was reluctant to let him go on alone, but before he could make his case, a strange young woman appeared.

There was something familiar about her face, it wasn’t just her obvious beauty, but Lex didn’t know what was it about her. 

She had ran to Clark with fierce relief, and Lex suspected she could move even faster than she had but held back because of Lex’s presence.

Her worried expression dissolved once she had Clark in a full bodied hug. “Clark! Your parents sent me to find you. I was so worried…” She sounded on the verge of tears. 

“I’m sorry, Isobel.” Clark said, hugging back, his apology solemn. “There were more soldiers that usual, it took me a while to lose them - luckily I ran into Lex and he helped me.”

“Lex?” Isobel looked up from where her head was rested at the crook of Clark’s neck. 

“It’s short for Alex.” Lex said, which is short for Alexander he thought, while trying not to think about how comfortable that spot looked. “I was named before General Alexander came to prominence.” This was technically true. 

“I hate General Alexander. I hate the name Alexander and any derivatives of it.” Isobel said seriously in a tone like knives. There was a large amount of venom despite her pretty face. She was looking at Lex suspiciously. 

Lex was very glad he was in civilian clothes. 

But then her face relaxed a fraction. “My name is Isobel. Clark said you helped him. Thank you, you’ve done enough and can leave now.”

“I’m afraid I can’t leave without a dismissal from my employer.”

Lex smiled at her reaction.

Clark looked at him with a wounded expression of perceived betrayal.

“Clark?” Isobel asked. 

Clark grabbed Isobel’s hand and gently tugged her to the side. There was a flurry of whispers, most of them from Clark while Isobel reacted to what he was saying. 

They looked close and Lex was an interloper despite the companionship he had felt walking with Clark. Lex absently played with the sunflower he had in his hand and waited to see if Clark would tell her about their arrangement. 

He wasn’t disappointed when her frown deepened. It was unfair how she looked cute even when frowning. 

But then Clark took the last sunflower from his basket and began to secure it in Isobel’s long black hair. It looked good there, contrasted against the inkiness of her tresses. 

Lex was bald. He had been since birth and for all his life. Hairless all over in fact, except for his brows and eyelashes. He didn’t think about it much but he supposed it was a side effect of how he was made a SOLDIER and the numerous experiments before and since. He was not jealous. Really. Who was the one that was going to date Clark? Him. He should have taken both sunflowers. 

“Clark, that's not going to work. I’m still upset with you.” Isobel said, but she was smiling. 

Lex remembered he had left, letting Isobel take Clark the rest of the way. 

“Are you still with us, General Alexander?”

Lex was in the middle of a LuthorCorp meeting and President Lionel Luthor was speaking to him. 

Lex raised his head and glanced around. It was full meeting with all of the executives present. 

Vice President Tess Luthor, also Head of Urban Development. Her placard read "Augustus Luthor". Tess' big, genetically modified yellow, spotted guard cat, Gold Nation was not with her. They were in a meeting so she was likely outside, probably watched over by Charity. 

Director Desirée Atkins, Head of the Weapons Department. She was complaining about WATCHTOWER's attacks on her weapons factories and requesting better security although the plants were simply too numerous to all be covered. She was also currently trying to get more funding to further her building of a giant robot. Lex felt mocking. For what? Giant monsters, should they ever rise out of the sea? However, she had managed to secure more funding by mentioning that Wayne Enterprises was working on a similar project. 

Professor Milton Fine, Head of the Science Department which was responsible for manufacturing materia, and overlooked the SOLDIER process, and with him the Vice Head, Helen Bryce. They were currently working on bionics research in a collaboration with Weapons Department. Earlier they had complained about how many of their test subjects had gone missing over the years and how not all of them had been recaptured. Like the Weapons Department, he was also demanding that something be done about WATCHTOWER disrupting his materia factories. 

General Sam Lane, who overlooked the “Public Safety Maintenance” Department, an euphemism for LuthorCorp’s military. Sub-branches of the department included SOLDIER, the regular forces, and the Investigative Division of General Affairs, or Virtues. Director Atkins and Professor Fine were both irritated at him for not having already destroyed WATCHTOWER. He was looking at Lex with a disappointed expression, fatherly enough that it might as well have been Lionel who gave it. Someone else with a child he was frequently disappointed in. 

Lex glanced away and ended up looking into the glasses of the Head of the new Space Exploration Department, Doctor Virgil Swann. The man was currently working on the building and launching of a rocket. As a skilled mathematician, physicist, engineer, and astronomer, Dr. Swann’s credentials were impeccable. Also, Lionel did not trust him. Neither did some of the other executives when Dr. Swann had objected to the goals of the bionics program which put weaponization before helping people. 

Lex felt cowardly in his comparative passiveness. Now kind eyes looked at Lex from behind glasses. One of the Virtues, Hope, was standing by Dr. Swann, taking notes of the meeting that he could use later, under supervision, notes that would be the shortly destroyed afterward. 

The space and design of the board room table could not accommodate his wheelchair, which was unable to fit under it, so he was more physically distant from the center of the table than the other executives. 

Lex recalled that Tess had mentioned once to modify the meeting room table so Dr. Swann could use it too but Lionel had gone on like Tess hadn’t spoken a word. 

It was Lionel’s board room so he did what he wanted, which was to be obstinate. Tess must had guilt about being unable to help, and it might never be done because she was the one to bring it up and Lionel would spite her like that. It was fortunate Lionel did not interfere too much with her post as Head of Urban Development, where she was putting conscious effort forward in making the city of Metropolis accessible. 

Lex decided to bring it up the issue again. “I am on the same table, but one of us isn’t, so to speak.” He said. 

Dr. Swann was looked surprised to realize that he was the one Lex was meant. 

“Sir.” Lex inclined his head at Lionel. “The board room table should be modified. We wouldn’t want Dr. Swann to think of LuthorCorp as being cold to newcomers while involved in our own cliques and nepotism…We have to keep a professional atmosphere by thinking about our colleagues. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“I agree. I’ll make a note of it, General.” Lionel said with a glint in his eye. “It’s good to see you’re paying attention and are attentive to others…”

Lionel moved to the next topic, officially discussing WATCHTOWER along with its related issue, the inside informant.

Hope provided an update that yes she’s spoken with her comrades and they do not know where WATCHTOWER’s base was nor the identity of the person within LuthorCorp that was feeding them information

General Lane was giving an overview of his progress in attempting to locate the group’s base, which was confirmed to be right in Metropolis. They already had two successful bombings, destroying the Sector 1 reactor, and even the distant Underwater Reactor. 

Lionel was looking at Tess. “Augustus, I hope you won’t disappoint me as well.” 

Lex frowned under his helmet. He had to in Tess’ place because her face was not hidden and she didn’t have the luxury. Lex doesn’t know Tess here at this meeting. He was here as General Alexander, not her brother Lex. He couldn’t reach out and speak to her. 

Tess’ name was Tess because as a child Lex had trouble pronouncing Augustus, then he was still being experimented upon and it would be a few more years before he was sent away to fight the first of many wars. There were too many Us in Augustus and when Lex had pronounced the last syllable it sounded alot like “Tess”. Lex had thought she’d pick her own name but she ended up taking the one Lex had called her.

Tess had outed herself as a preteen, at a formal celebrating a milestone in Metropolis’ construction. She had shown up in a green dress with ruffles, with a matching glittery hair band, and Lionel had taken it as a big betrayal. He didn’t trust Tess properly since, even if she was his heir. After the event Tess had worn "proper clothes", long pants and long sleeved shirts for boys. The clothing hid her bruises. Even if Lex hadn't been around - he was being showered in krypton, he still heard about it and he had raged, protested by refusing to cooperate with Professor Fine but Lionel had shown up personally to test how a SOLDIER was more durable than a regular soldier. Tess had told Lex to please stop and cooperate again and talked about how they both needed to heal... and Lionel was pleased with the results because Lex became obedient again, and he had taken more damage but healed faster than Tess. From then on Tess didn't present herself in the way she wanted to, at least in public and when Lionel was around. 

Now Lionel wished Lex knew more of business side of things in an attempt threaten Tess’ status as heir. It was unlikely though, the last two years Lionel had tried and Lex followed, learned how to properly run a company, but only up to a point. Lionel might suspect Lex was trying to protect Tess by hiding the affinity he had for business administration but Lionel didn’t push and have to be out two heirs. But maybe one day Lionel might even decide he didn’t need heirs because he’d live forever by willpower alone. 

Lionel held back things from Tess, like the details of SOLDIER process. Lex would find out someday, when Tess took over (Lex was sure Tess would be the one), and they would both know. Tess lamented before, to Lex, that maybe if she hadn’t revealed herself at the young age, Lionel would trust her more and Lex would already have his answers. Lex doesn’t blame her. He’s glad Tess knew who she was. He was just not sure what he was. 

Now if Lionel was present, or they were in public, it was always Augustus. Anything else meant eventual retribution from Lionel. 

Lex had already pissed Lionel off, Gaia forbid if Tess did something too and Tess was already doing something, had been even before the meeting. 

Tess relaxed would have her hair loose or in a bun. Right now it was a ponytail, tied by a simple band. If Tess could dress as she liked the band would be a fancier. She was in a stiff business suit and Lex knew she hated it.

The ponytail was a compromise of sorts, and it was dangerous when Tess had negotiated for it. 

Lionel was powerful and could do whatever he wanted, his long mane of hair was a testament to that. Tess had said she should have the same privilege. 

Lionel’s hair was a symbol of his power, Tess’ long hair was resistance which challenged that power, and Lionel knew that but he had laughed and agreed because of what happened.

Tess had said, “Since I am your son and heir and will one day take your place as CEO, shouldn’t I have the same liberties?” 

So Tess kept her long hair but Lionel had something too, he made Tess refer to herself as his son. Lex had heard Tess’ voice hitch when she said "son" and he didn’t think Lionel missed it either. 

Tess’ hair was still long but she had to wear it in a pony tail, no hair clips, no scrunchies. 

“Their base is somewhere in Sector 7.” Tess said.

Lex gave a small shocked sound but it was muffled by his helmet. Sector 7 was where Clark lived. Terrorists could be right next door to him, his neighbors even. He needed to talk to Clark, warn him somehow. 

“Well done, my son.” Said Lionel. 

Anger at Lionel emerged along with the fear Lex felt for Clark. 

“Thank you, sir.” Said Tess, accepting the poisoned praise. Her grip on the pen she held tightened. She glanced at General Lane. “I have it under control. I will keep the relevant parties updated but I’ll need more time to find the exact location of their base.”

Lionel nodded, a sharpness to his expression. “Consult General Alexander.”

Lex went through his prepared words, steadying his voice. Suggested some strategies to Tess and included General Lane. Notes were taken, exchanged.

“Now, General Alexander.” Lionel turned to Lex when they finished. 

Lex stiffened. Lionel always did this. If Tess did something right then he’d go to Lex. And if Lex did something right, he’d go to Tess. Failures were the same way. It’s just whoever failed would be the recipient of Lionel’s scorn. And it wasn’t good when one failed and the other succeeded. Lionel drove wedges far but he hadn't succeeded in creating the rift he wanted . 

“Do you have an ideas, as to the location of the Promised Land? Neo-Metropolis is waiting to be built.”

“It may just be a legend of a long dead people-” Lex began. If they even ever existed to begin with. He may have been tasked with finding the imaginary place of an imaginary people. 

Dr. Swann seemed to be listening in intently. That was one of his interests, the Ancients. Appropriately, Hope increased her notes. 

“Look harder. I know you haven’t tried everything.” Lionel said, his tone that of a reasonably disappointed father. 

“I’ve been everywhere but…” Lex said. “…the cold reaches of the north.” Did Lionel really want him to look there too? When all this time the Promised Land was thought to be a place filled with lush vegetation. Suppose the fabled realm overflowing with Lifestream was there in the unforgiving arctic. But what was the point of building a city in a place so hostile to human habitation?

“Yes, General. That’s it.” Lionel smiled. “You’ll leave to go there. Soon. I’ll give you two weeks to prepare.”

“Understood.” Lex said. There wasn’t a way out of it. At least he’d have one date with Clark. Only to immediately break up with him later. What would he do if Clark asked for an explanation? Sorry Clark, my dear father is basically exiling me to the arctic to find an illusion, one I have been searching for all my life?

“That’s good, Alex. I’m glad you’re doing things again and not just resting on your laurels - as plentiful as they are.” Director Atkins cooed. She traced the edge of Lex’s helmet. She was leaning over the table, her red satin dress had a low plunging neckline and if Lex wanted to he could see her cleavage. 

He didn’t. 

Most LuthorCorp employees are scared of Lex, but not the Head of the Weapons Department. Desirée liked Lex even though she’s never even seen him uncloaked, she has no idea what he looks like underneath the helmet and cloak, and not for lack of effort. 

Lex is more used to people trying to kill him than flirt with him. Desirée could probably do both. He was not fond of her attention and interest. 

Lex tried to remember tips Tess had given him about how to get admirers to leave him alone. There was no shortage of people throwing themselves at the Luthor heir. 

Tess didn’t like being in public and she couldn’t be who she wanted to be when Lionel would catch wind of her presentation. It was fortunate there were the Virtues to guard Tess, and she herself carried a folding staff equipped with materia. 

But still, many women swarmed over the Luthor heir, women who’ve heard the rumors despite Lionel’s suppression of them, and told Tess “he” needed a wife to set “him” right and that “he” would be a great husband if only “he” would embrace that role. 

And men after the Luthor fortune insisting that they wouldn’t mind marrying “him” and fulfilling “his” dreams, and getting “his” money and running things while “he” stayed in the kitchen. And wasn’t “he” just a confused faggot trying to entrap men? 

Lex had seen Tess cry, held her through it. And she probably did more when Lex wasn’t around and she was all alone. 

Lex was shaken out of his unhappy feelings by the realization Desirée was trying to pull off his helmet... 

“Ms. Atkins, leave General Alexander alone. He is a guest at our table and this is a professional meeting.” Tess said.

Thank you big sis. Lex thought mentally. 

“Oh Augustus, did I make you jealous? You know you’re always my real favorite.” Desirée purred. 

Lionel let Tess sit there uncomfortably for some time before he ended the meeting. 

“That’s all.” Lionel said. He pulled out a Portable Handheld System, “I would like time alone so I may catch up with old friends.” 

Everyone left, including Lex but he noted that General Lane stayed behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Luthor / Shinra executives : 
> 
> Lionel Luthor - President Shinra Sr (President / CEO)  
> Tess Luthor - Rufus Shinra (Vice President) & Reeve Tuesti / Cait Sith (Urban Development)  
> Desiree Atkins - Scarlet (Weapons Department)  
> Milton Fine - Hojo (Science Department)  
> Sam Lane - Heidigger (“Public Safety”/Military)  
> Virgil Swann - Palmer & Gast Faremis (Space Exploration)
> 
> Gold Nation (Tess' big guard cat)-Dark Nation  
> http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/File:Cait_sith_ffiv_ios.PNG
> 
> Greco-Roman theme: Alexander, Julian (Julius), Augustus
> 
> Extra Notes:  
> Desirée Atkins-Scarlet, seems legit… (I just need SV character to fill the ranks of LuthorCorp executives here so. In this AU she doesn’t have her metahuman ability and never married Lex. She is interested in him though)
> 
> Sam Lane-Heidigger, yikes that would make him really evil though, but I can’t think of who else would work. Lois is opposed to/estranged from him.
> 
> Virgil Swann-Palmer and Gast Faremis (he's like Gast, kind, pursues wisdom for the sake of it and not for power, but has Palmer's position). In this AU Clark isn’t his son. That would be weird even though I’d kind of work because Christopher Reeve depicted Superman. 
> 
> Milton Fine - Professor Hojo (In this AU Lionel is Lex’s father. Dr. Fine is just here to be the immoral scientist guy. Hojo’s character is complex and I feel bad for destroying it here.) I’m not covering Dirge of Cerberus because there’s no Vincent in this AU (sorry) but Fine would totally would be that guy who uploads his consciousness to the Web, because Brainiac. 
> 
> Portable Handheld System - a cellphone like device
> 
>  
> 
> About Grant Gabriel and Adrian Cross / Genesis and Angeal  
> (For people familiar with FF7 Compilation and SV)  
> AKA  
> Trying to combine Smallville’s fucked up clone shit with FFVII’s fucked up clone shit is HARD.
> 
> I don’t know if I want Genesis and Angeal here yet. 
> 
> If I did, Grant Gabriel would be Genesis and Adrian Cross will be Angeal, the names already match and are biblical themed (or names reversed because Genesis suffers from cell degradation and Adrian Cross suffers from rapid cell age-ing) and he goes reeeaally far to try and find a cure. But it would consist of him trying to get Lex’s cells? Lucas can be Lazard the SOLDIER director? (I’m really amused the names all match) I haven’t closed my smallville wiki and final fantasy wiki tabs in days. I’m not sure if I want to reference this when Lex thinks about the problems facing Luthorcorp in Chapter 1 but Genesis Wars, SOLDIER desertions, and original AVALANCHE were problems Shinra Inc faced e.e 
> 
> I might make edits to change the timeline to include them but that would complicate things. This is what happens when I don’t think everything through even when they have ripple effects and the timeline I’m working with is already a mess. 
> 
> *Shakes fist at Compilation*


	3. Contingo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lex asks Dr. Swann about the Ancients. Then he confronts Tess. And Mercy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still unbeta'd.
> 
> Warnings: Mentions of dysphoria. I'm not sure how to warn for it but it's Smallville canon that Lionel slept with Lex's ex-girlfriends and sent him pictures. Something like that is mentioned here, but slightly different. 
> 
> Notes:  
> I edited Chapter 1 again to include important foreshadowing.
> 
> [In this AU like in Superman : Birthright, Clark has the ability to see auras.](http://gyazo.com/78045d91d4f85d4bc4b69fb74c3d1425)
> 
> So they can engage in Stares of Destiny. 
> 
> In this AU Kryptonians have a different history and relationship to humans, as explained by Dr. Swann.  
> I’m sad about making him compromise his beliefs y’all, working for LuthorCorp sucks, 8( but he has a plan really! I can always rewrite things though I have to be careful about plotholes and what Lex should or shouldn’t know at this time.

“You may enter, General.”

Lex stepped into Dr. Swann’s large office. He was sitting behind his desk, one designed for his use. The office was well stocked with technology locked to be activated by his voice. 

Lex gave a nod, and Hope returned it, leaving the room and closing the door behind her. Lex knew she would be waiting outside. 

“Dr. Swann, I have a few questions.” Lex said.

“Thank you for earlier. I’m just afraid you’ll suffer his wrath eventually, as Tess did.” 

Lex recalled that Lionel had cut funding for a hospital Tess had wanted built, reducing a wing that was going to be built. Tess had struggled but she had managed to make up the needed resources by holding a fundraiser. “It should have been done already, but president Luthor is stubborn. He sees the space as his.” Lex paused. “But enough about him, I’d like to now more about the Ancients.” 

“I assume this is to assist in your pursuit of the Promised Land.” Dr. Swann tilted his head slightly.

“Yes.”

“The Kryptonians - that was what the Ancients were called, were said to be a space faring people. They traveled from planet to planet in search of the place from their legends, the Promised Land - a place of supreme happiness. On a planet, they cultivated life as they went along by guiding the flow of the Planet’s energy - the Lifestream. By opening its veins they made the land fertile.”

The Promised Land, Lex thought. A place of happiness for the Kryptonians, but Lionel wanted the Promised Land found because of all the supposed krypton deposits it had. It may not even exist on this planet but Lionel was still sending him to the arctic. 

Lex thought further. Kryptonians had cultivated the land, opened the Lifestream, which is why it can even be used today as an energy source. Why the reactors could pull out the Lifestream and convert it to krypton, which was then used to produce electricity. Kryptonians had spent alot of effort cultivating the Planet and now humans were destroying it. Supposedly.

Dr. Swann was silent, waiting for another question or comment. 

“So, either the Promised Land doesn't exist or if it does, it may not even be on this Planet.” Lex said. “I guess that’s why my father created your department, Dr. Swann, should my arctic expedition result in failure.” Lex wasn’t sure how his father was going to live long enough to travel to another planet but he wouldn’t put it past him. 

“I think that’s why too. I’m working on it because I’d like to meet a Kryptonian.” 

“Well I guess you could if they are really out there. But if they once existed on Gaia, how did they all die?” Lex asked. 

“Legend has it that one day something appeared. A Calamity. The Calamity destroyed many of the Kryptonians, driving them to the point of near extinction until presumably they defeated it, because it is not currently threatening the human race.” Dr. Swann said solemnly. 

Lex frowned. “How did one creature destroy so many Kryptonians?”

“That is one of the many mysteries of the legends. But when the Calamity appeared, the humans hid while the Kryptonians fought.”

“Humans?”

“It is a more legend than theory. But some Kryptonians, tried of journeying, forsook their migratory natures. Wishing for comfort and stability, they stopped searching and settled in one place. It also meant they also gave up their gifts of being able to commune with the Planet.” 

Lex couldn’t blame them. He wanted to stop his journeying and rest. No more battles, not more traveling. But to give up such gifts, to be able to control the Lifestream? 

“Those Kryptonians became humans.”

This was news to Lex. Kryptonians weren’t aliens but natives? Humans came from Kryptonians?

Dr. Swann must have noticed Lex’s disbelieving expression because he spoke again. “Again I mentioned that it is more legend than theory. But we hid and they fought. Reduced to small numbers, somewhere the Kryptonians had their last stand and defeated the Day’s Doom. Overtime, humans grew to outnumber the Kryptonians. That was 2000 years ago. Kryptonians are now thought to be extinct.” 

“Humans survived because of their sacrifice. We owe something to the Kryptonians if that’s really the case, Dr. Swann. But it’s alot to take in without proof.”

Dr. Swann acknowledged the statement with a brief movement of his head. “We don’t have a Kryptonian to ask, where the Kryptonians had their last stand… Such things are unknown but I do agree that we owe a debt. And if Kryptonians were around, it would be…painful for them to see how we, their cousins, have been destroying the environment.” 

“You’re wary of krypton reactors.” 

“The Lifestream is the Planet’s veins. It’s not right to abuse it.”

“But you are here.” Lex said. The electricity that powered his chair, the technology in this office. The entire building, the whole city of Metropolis, it came from the reactors. 

“I am.” Dr. Swann sounded sad. 

“Why?”

“As I have said, I want to meet a Kryptonian.”

—

Lex left Dr. Swann’s office unsettled, but he had no time to collect his bearings when he had a meeting with Tess, and his dinner date with Clark after that. The day wasn’t over and even with his SOLDIER enhanced body he felt exhausted on at least a mental level. 

Now in his civilian clothes, with his identity of Stephen Swift (if Clark asked he’d say Alexander was his middle name), and not General Alexander, Lex waited with his arms resting on at table at his secret booth.

Tess arrived early. Gold Nation followed her, the big cat laid down by her side while Tess ran her hand through her spotted fur affectionately. Tess was in a blouse, her hair down. She looked relaxed. It was unfortunate Lex had to confront her. 

Lex had made sure the place was private and not bugged. No sound or sight was getting out of the room. Even Mercy, who was standing outside, would not be privy. 

“I hope you aren’t here to gloat. My failure was because of your interference.” She said. 

Lex knew she was joking. “I didn’t mean to.”

“I know.” Tess said. “I’d thought I’d capture a few test subjects. Make dad appreciate my efforts.”

“And throw him off your trail. Because you’re sabotaging, not helping.”

Tess slowly lowered the teacup she had been sipping from, looking at Lex from under her blue shadowed eyelids.

“Why did you interfere with my capture crew?” She was trying to change the topic.

“He didn’t want to return to the labs.” Lex replied, letting Tess steer away for now.

“Lots of people don’t but they read the disclaimers and signed the documents.” Tess said. “It doesn’t matter now. Let them go free, capture them. You can date one for all I care.”

Lex inhaled a bit of his coffee. 

“No way…you didn’t.” Tess looked at Lex. “How long?”

“First date’s tonight.” Lex admitted.

“Congrats.”

Tess didn’t go out in public often if she could avoid it. Tess didn’t let people get close, didn’t like it when people tried to touch her. 

When she did go to a club, a bar, or restaurant, it was timed so Lionel wouldn’t notice her shying away from the spotlight for too long a time. Tess sometimes took a few women to bed, or let them be pictured with her getting into a limo, drink in hand. Sometimes Tess had the dress of the woman already partially unzippered. All this to get Lionel leave her alone. Let him be satisfied that the public would see his “son”. Tess couldn't pretend to have slept with the women she encountered, though she wished she could, because it triggered her dysphoria, but Lionel would know. Lionel had known the first time Tess pretended and he found the woman Tess had rejected and did what he said Tess should have, had sent Tess pictures of it, reminding "him" of what "he" was missing. 

Personal humiliations. Public humiliations. Lionel inflicted them all on Tess while Lex was continents away, fighting wars his body had been purposely experimented upon for. When Lex had been back, it was at a public ceremony billed as the Vice President and Head of Urban Development Augustus Luthor and Mayor Sackett (a mere puppet figurehead) honoring General Alexander for securing Xanthu’s surrender, and thanking him for his service to LuthorCorp and the people of Metropolis. Tess’ date had long abandoned her. 

WATCHTOWER had attacked and Lex had nearly lost his sister. 

She had been shot with an arrow. A magic arrow that had to heal naturally instead of be cured by materia. Gold Nation had casted Barrier on Tess but another WATCHTOWER member, a masked mage clad in dark robes, had broken it with DeBarrier magic. The assailants had come to be known as Green Arrow and Rakshasa. Strangely, Green Arrow seemed to have gone paralyzed after making the shot. Stricken, surprised? Lex didn't know why but he would have succeeded in his chance to take the assassin down right there but then the archer’s partner, Rakshasa, had intercepted Lex’s attack and engaged him in battle. 

Lex regretted that the culprits had gotten away thanks to a failure in how Sam Lane had set up the security. Lex had failed to reach Green Arrow because of Rakshasa. The mage had moved too fast for a mage, and must have been trained in other disciplines. Gold Nation managed to shoot Green Arrow with Bolt but Rakshasa had healed him.

Too many people had been around to use materia safely, so Lex had to rely on Kopis. Lex was fast but again, the crowds were in the way and the mage had not been above using people as shields. Rakshasa had gotten close enough to exchange sword blows with Lex. They had wielded a thin double edge blade with one hand, meeting Lex strike for strike. They also aimed kicks and punches at Lex but he had dodged and in anger focused on getting the one who had shot his sister. Unexpectedly Lex had found a shuriken embedded into his side. Still, he had managed to grab one of the mage’s wrists after a missed punch and break the wrist and bangle on it both, disabling the materia there. Rakshasa obviously wanted to fight Lex more, if the amount of spells they were aiming at Lex was any indication, but their partner had dragged them into escape. Lex still had the shuriken somewhere in his penthouse although he was unable to trace it. It was likely Rakshasa was a Xanthuian. 

The Daily Planet had written a scathing criticism of WATCHTOWER after the event, when all it did before was publish articles that called into questions the safety of krypton reactors and the immorality of extracting the Lifestream. And Lex had been sent to spend more time in Professor Fine's laboratory. 

“You can read me but I know you too, Tess. I know what you are doing and it’s dangerous. You’ve been leaking LuthorCorp secrets to WATCHTOWER. Or rather the Daily Planet, who’s collaborating with them. WATCHTOWER has tried to kill you before.”

The ‘why are you working with them’ was unspoken but understood. 

“They tried to kill dad, I just happened to be in the way.” Tess replied. 

“I get it, you want revenge against dad, I do too but-”

“Some of what I do might suggest otherwise, but I care about the Planet.” 

Lex knew Tess meant Gaia and not the media group.

“This is not only about revenge. I wanted to be a marine biologist you know.”

But you admit this is about revenge, Lex thought. “You leaked the security plans and maps of the Underwater Reactor.” 

Tess nodded. “As an alternative, I’ve tried to suggest solar energy.” 

She had wanted beams to take in sunlight, supported between buildings, not large plates, but as usual Lionel had perverted her plans by going with huge plates that blocked the slums from sunlight, one for each sector. Rays still got in through the gaps, but it was another reminder to the people who lived in the slums of their status. 

Lex didn't know whom, but Tess must have a close, trusted agent she was sending stuff to. “You’re giving the leaks to someone in WATCHTOWER, or its close associate group, the Daily Planet.” 

Lex recalled how Lionel said LuthorCorp valued free speech. But LuthorCorp also frequently sabotaged its delivery network and smeared its contributors. Once the company had attempted to buy the Daily Planet only for them to go underground. They could absolutely end them now with proof they were working with terrorists. Lex still couldn’t believe Tess was assisting WATCHTOWER in destroying the city she overlooked. Two reactors had been wrecked. 

“I’ve been careful to keep my identity a secret.” Tess said. “They wouldn’t accept my help so readily if they knew. I’m calling myself CS, short for Cait Sith.” 

Tess was trusting Lex. 

“Cait Sith…that’s an interesting nod to our heritage.” Lex said. Cait Sith, or Cat Fairy, were all black with a white spot. Either the King of Cats or witches who can transform into cats and were said to steal the souls of the unburied. Cait Sith blessed houses that left out a saucer of milk on Samhain or cursed dry the cows of the houses that don’t leave out a saucer. Of course Tess must be referencing the witch version, it was like her, to want to ability to transform. 

“I’m glad you agree because I’m not stopping.” Tess said. Gold Nation purred, as if agreeing with her ward. 

“Tess…”

“I’ll be careful.”

Of Lionel and WATCHTOWER. Lex was worried. If Lionel found out, or if he already knew (then why hadn’t he acted yet). When would the other shoe drop?

“Lex, I’ve been thinking.”

Lex frowned. She was trying to change the topic again.

“I’m your older sister but I’ve been unable to protect you.”

“You had your hands full just surviving yourself.”

—

Tess had left to be alone, Gold Nation going with her. 

Lex told Mercy to stay.

Alone, Lex asked. “Why were you chasing that escaped subject, the man in a red cloak. And a better question, why have you let him go uncaptured for so many years?”

“KA-23872, also known as Clark.”

Lex made a go on gesture. Hearing the words "KA-23872" had stirred something in him but he didn't understand why. If Mercy talked on maybe he would.

Mercy tucked away a loose strange of her dark hair. “I was indeed tasked to capture him from the moment he escaped…I can’t go into details but he’s saved my life and that of Hope’s. I’ve been busy with missions and I’ve always let him slip by, but last night was different because Tess was directly issuing commands and had extra troops.”

“I see. Well, now I’m saying you’re no longer tasked with his capture and I want you to relay that to the rest of the Virtues, because he’s mine and I’ll deal with it. Understood?” Lex cringed internally at how possessive “he’s mine” sounded. 

“Yes.”

“Good. Now there’s one more thing I need you to do…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stephen Swift is Warrior Angel’s civilian identity, here it is Lex’s civilian identity when he isn’t being General Alexander. Warrior Angel does not exist in this AU (sorry) but Lex is a big fan of something else (something important that I’ll use to foreshadow events). 
> 
> Pronouncing Cait Sith:  
> I’ve seen “Ket” or “Kite” or"Kay-ehtt” or “Kat” but it’s actually pronounced “caught shee” (like banshee) and I’ve mis-pronounced it like Kate, and the sith in Sith Lord, for a while.  
> [You can listen to pronunciations here](http://forvo.com/word/cait/)
> 
> KA is Kryptonian (Ancient) and 23872 is how to write CETRA on a phone pad.


	4. Cena

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lex has his first date with Clark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd.  
> This turned out longer than previous chapters :0 The date was fun to write even with all the nasty foreshadowing and plot points. I might add and rewrite things once I work out chapter 5. 
> 
> I did a small edit to chapter 1 again (the part where Lex talks about materia and added how there was ~science~ and ~principles~ to it) and chapter 2 (I went into more detail about how Tess came out and what the consequences were). 
> 
> Lines were lifted from the Smallville pilot(Do you believe a man can fly?) except modified to foreshadow the “One Winged Angel” :)
> 
> Also now there will be obnoxious Latin chapter names yay!

Lex picked up Clark at the place in the upper sector Clark said he'd be. Lex was intrigued by Clark and wanted to be with him even if only to escape having to deal with LuthorCorp. Lex in his civilian guise didn’t have Alexander’s responsibilities. He was unrelated, a nonperson. Of course Lex couldn’t fully escape LuthorCorp’s dealings since Clark was an escaped test subject of theirs. His. His family’s. Lex felt guilty thinking about it like that. 

Clark looked at Lex again like before, a bit off center, and as if Lex was a mystery that needed to be solved. Lex was beginning to feel the same about Clark. 

His basket was halfway filled with sunflowers. It looked like Clark hadn’t turned the charm on though, from the smiles Lex had seen, he knew Clark could.

He looked awful. Emotionally and dress-wise. Instead of smiles he looked like he had been crying, though their were no tears to see now. His eyes were slightly red behind glasses, too big and thick rimmed. Clark was wearing an ill fitting suit, an ugly brown color. And when Lex asked he said it was his dad’s. Clark had explained the glasses were apart of his disguise. 

If only Lex had more time, but he had met with Dr. Swann and Tess, and talked with Mercy. He could take Clark to the tailor now, but they would miss the dinner reservation. Lex had insisted on deciding the time and place because he wanted to balance the scales with Clark quickly, and find out more about him of course.

Lex could buy the restaurant if he wanted. But Clark looked hungry. Some other time perhaps. Before Lex went to the arctic. 

“Was the red cloak a disguise too?” Lex asked. 

“Yes.”

“Your disguises are interesting.” He should be complimenting his date but it was tough... Lex in comparison, had on a white suit, shirt and tie. Newly cleaned and stain free, the same could not be said for Clark’s mold green tie. “Also, you don’t have to worry about disguises anymore because the Virtues won’t be going after you.” The public even generally referred to the Investigation Sector of the General Affairs Department by their unofficial name of the Virtues because it was easier. He hoped the news would improve Clark’s mood. 

“Really? How do you know?” Clark said quizzically. 

“I do.” Lex said. He fished for a reason. “Right now LuthorCorp is focusing its resources on dealing with WATCHTOWER.” That sounded like something people could generally be aware of considering the infamy WATCHTOWER had built up.

“Oh.” Clark’s eyes had lit up with shock upon hearing the word WATCHTOWER. He had bitten down on his lip until it bleed. Attempt at cheering Clark up? Failed. 

Was Clark worried about those dangerous people? Lex couldn’t just ask Clark to move in with him on the first date. Oh, and your parents can come too? And how would Lex explain how he knew WATCHTOWER was somewhere in Sector 7? 

Lex reached out and gently wiped away the blood with his thumb. “Hey.” He murmured, looking into Clark’s eyes. “You don’t have to worry about yourself at least until they locate WATCHTOWER. Okay? Let’s enjoy ourselves at dinner.” Lex let his hand drop. 

Clark nodded and lowered his eyes, a faint pink tint to his cheeks, but his shoulders remained tense. 

He opened up the front passenger side of his sports car but Clark didn’t go in.

“I’m good at driving, we won’t crash even if I go fast.” Lex said assuringly. “Come on. I’m taking you to a restaurant. You must be hungry after standing there for hours.”

Clark was staring at the exhaust where the green smoke from the krypton the car ran on came out. 

Not the first place Lex himself would look when admiring a sports car but alright. “It runs on krypton, not oil.” Lex said. “The technology’s new.” Developed by LuthorCorp of course.

Maybe Clark was weird about krypton because he was one of those anti-krypton reactor people. They could discuss that over dinner but it could mean a potentially bad evening. 

Clark slowly got into the seat and sat down, putting the basket onto his lap. 

Lex reminded him to put on his seat belt.

Clark did the motions numbly. 

Lex began to drive as Clark clutched his basket. He wanted to ask Clark about his day, while not divulging details about his own, which had been stressful to say the least. But Clark had his eyes closed, and was he praying?

Lex caught a stray word.

Clark was asking for forgiveness? And he kept on shooting glances toward the back of the car when his eyes did peek open. 

Soon they reached the right building. Clark followed Lex into the building, after reluctantly leaving his basket in the car. He seemed surprised when Lex walked onto an elevator, but he entered as well.

Lex turned to look at Clark after pressing the button, as the elevator rose. As usual Clark was already staring first. Lex raised an eyebrow. 

“You look…um, nice. Did I say that yet?” Clark said. 

“You didn’t until now. Thanks.” Lex smiled. “I should tell you the same but…” He curled his fingers around Clark’s tie and pulled him closer. “This tie is an interesting shade of green.” 

Lex shouldn’t have pulled him. Lex had intended to get Clark close enough give him a small kiss on the cheek, but sometimes Lex didn’t know his own strength. Clark stumbled and fell but before he went down he tried to hold onto something. That something was Lex and they both ended up on the floor. 

The elevator door opened. 

They extracted themselves and Lex apologized as Clark was apologizing. But Lex assured Clark that he was okay, and shouldn’t have pulled Clark’s tie. 

With that straightened out, Lex entered the restaurant and Clark followed. After Lex confirmed his reservation, a hostess lead him to his favorite table by the glass wall of the restaurant at the top of the building. This was a famous establishment, from here one could enjoy the Metropolis skyline. Lex had the place rented out for privacy. If Clark noticed they were the only ones he didn't comment on it. However, Lex knew Mercy was somewhere near by, "chaperoning". He had told her to be discreet in her reporting to Lionel and expected that she knew what she had to do considering she had been delaying Clark's capture for years. 

Both of them sat down, with Lex seated with the glass to his back and Clark across from him. Lex let Clark read the menu while he went ahead and ordered, deciding that was a good course of action considering the time of night. If Clark had last ate a meal it would have been a while ago. 

Lex ordered steak, lobster, and quail. 

He wondered if Clark had even heard him order or wanted to comment on it, because he was facing the menu but his eyes were distant. 

“Usually, for a date to work both people involved have to be present.” Lex said. 

Clark startled and lowered his menu guiltily. 

“What’s troubling you?”

“I can’t just spill my problems on you.”

"This is a date right? That means I’m your boyfriend. You can open up to me.”

“Oh.” Clark turned red as if he just realized what dating someone meant. 

Lex waited patiently.

“What do you do if you’ve been close to someone or many someones…and you thought you knew them but they turned out to be someone completely different.” 

Well. That was a heavy conversation starter. And Clark seemed to be implying he had been betrayed by more than one person so he had worse luck than Lex.

“That’s not a good person, Clark.” Lex said. “If you were close and they hid something so big from you.” Maybe you need a better taste in people you make the acquaintance of, Lex thought. Lex certainly wasn’t a good example. He was a SOLDIER and Lionel Luthor’s son. Lex sighed; realizing he had damned himself. 

“They are good…just misguided.” Clark still had on a mopey expression. 

“How misguided? If they are important to you, give them some time. But be sure to speak to the person soon and try to get their side of things. If you listen, they’d have to listen to you too.”

“Hmm. That makes sense...” Clark’s expression lightened somewhat. Good. 

“Do you want to talk some more about this person, tell me their name perhaps?”

“No.” Clark shook his head and his expression became stricken again. 

Lex decided to change the topic rather that stress Clark further. Lex could distract him, get his mind off things. “Clark, do you believe a man can fly?”

“Sure?” Clark looked confused. “In a plane. I’ve never been on one though I’d like to.”

“I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about soaring through the clouds, with nothing but air beneath you.”

“People can't fly, Lex.”

“But I have, in reoccurring dreams, with the aid of one wing. But I wonder why one wing and not two. Do you think there’s some hidden meaning in that?”

“A lack of balance? I don’t know. They’re your dreams. I don’t think I can interpret them.”

“How about your own? Do you dream?”

“Yes, I dream too but…”

“Clark?” Lex asked. Clark had a unreadable expression. 

“About my parents…they tell me things I don’t understand.”

“I understand that feeling.” Lex said. He had nightmares about Lionel, commanding him to do things Lex couldn’t understand and was unable to do. But Lionel was always insistent. 

Their conversation was interrupted as the food arrived. 

The lobster landed on Lex’s side and the steak at Clark’s.

But Clark was silent. His mouth opened but no works came out. His eyes kept on moving from the dish before him to Lex and back again. 

Maybe Clark wasn’t familiar with the utensils? 

Lex gestured for Clark to move to the seat next to him. Clark did and Lex sat into the seat he had left and began to carefully cut the steak into small, even pieces. 

Clark watched but struggled to speak. 

“There.” Lex said when he was finished, and seeing that Clark was still silent, Lex sighed and guided the fork with a piece of steak until it was almost touching Clark’s lips.

Clark recoiled.

Feeding your date on the first date. Not a good idea? 

“Lex…” Clark said finally. “I’m a vegetarian.” 

Clark was a vegetarian. How did he even get the energy to use materia. Lex dropped the utensils he held. 

He could have told me earlier, Lex thought. Or I shouldn’t have ordered for him in the first place, but Clark had looked distracted. 

Clark was apologizing, several times. 

Lex told him to stop. “I should be the one apologizing.” Lex said. “I’m sorry for being inconsiderate of your diet.” He signaled the waitress over and ordered their signature salad. He canceled the quail but assured her, out of Clark’s hearing, that he would pay for it despite his cancellation.

“You didn’t know and I hadn’t said anything earlier.” Clark said. 

“But you told me eventually and the problem’s now fixed.” Lex replied. 

Lex returned to his seat and pushed the lobster and steak off to his own side and away from Clark. He didn’t eat.

“Your food’s getting cold, Lex.” Clark said.

“I know. But I’m not going to start eating until you have food too.” 

“But…”

“A salad shouldn’t take too long.” Lex had promised a substantial tip to the cooks, waitress and busboy if they’d focus their efforts on getting the salad to their table. 

Now what conversation could they have in the meantime? Lex thought about how he could warn Clark about WATCHTOWER.

“Clark, you need to move out of Sector 7.” Lex said. Straightforward ought to work. 

“Huh? Why?”

“WATCHTOWER makes Metropolis a dangerous place to be.” 

A shudder again, every time Lex mentioned WATCHTOWER Clark would react strangely.

“Um, my family came from Smallville. We’re returning there soon, in a few weeks. Maybe sooner. So you don’t have to worry. I’ll be moving out.” Clark said. He had his hands wrapped around the tablecloth, gripping it tightly. “Sorry…I shouldn’t have started a relationship with you since I’m going to be gone.”

Smallville. Over thirty years ago Lionel had created the first krypton reactor there. Perhaps Clark’s dislike of krypton reactors came from his family losing the fertility of their land when the reactor was completed. 

They couldn’t leave Metropolis fast enough, Lex thought. A few weeks. In a few weeks, Lex would be gone from Metropolis too, before them. He had already packed the clothing he needed even with his krypton enhanced body. 

Lex hoped WATCHTOWER would not do anything in the meantime, especially with the “Public Safety” Department on high alert. 

“It’s okay. I’ll be gone from Metropolis as well, in a couple of weeks.” Lex admitted. “I’m at fault too, and a little fling doesn’t hurt.” He didn’t mention what a recent development his arctic assignment was. 

“Lex, I’m not. I wouldn’t-”

“Not into it but you thought you’d use me as a bodyguard until it wasn’t convenient. Someone to save you from LuthorCorp soldiers.” 

At that moment the salad arrived, interrupting their awkward conversation. 

Clark acted as if a live mine had been placed before him. 

“I should mention I’m a LuthorCorp employee.” Lex said, not mentioning how high up he was. “But I won’t turn you in.”

Clark looked ready to run. 

“I understand you because I was a test subject. Still am. A willing one.” Lex said, although that last part was questionable. He knew his choices were limited by being Lionel’s son. “I signed the contracts and knew what I was getting into. Explains the money and car tech, right?” 

Clark didn't look like he wanted to run anymore but it was still uncertain if he'd stay.

“Is this too big of an issue? Because I’ve already gotten you to this date and we can be done here.”

“No!” Clark said, looking like he had solved a mystery he had been pondering over. “You took me to a place so I should have a turn to take you somewhere.”

Clark had already thought of going on a second date? Lex was in awe of this strange person. 

“Lots of people are employed by LuthorCorp.” Clark said. “I guess that’s why you live in the upper sector and you’re so good at magic, because you had tutors right? And also…”

The experiments went unsaid but understood. 

“Yes.” Lex answered. 

Lex began to eat the steak. Clark likewise dug into his salad. They ate in silence for a while. 

“So Clark…”

Lex waited until Clark was taking a sip of water (he refused wine which was what Lex was having). 

“Do you just want me to guard your body or do other things to it as well?” Lex smiled. He wasn’t ticked off anymore. 

Clark choked on his glass. 

“You have thought of it.”

Clark let out a breath. So easy to read. Were his glasses fogging up? 

“I h-have not.”

That was real believable Lex thought sarcastically but he began to feel bad about teasing Clark. What else could they speak about? If Clark had opened up to Lex about his problem, maybe Lex could try to also?

“Clark, I have a problem.”

Clark mumbled something that suspiciously sounded like “I hope it’s not in your pants.” 

“There’s a place I’m trying to find. The Promised Land. President Luthor would be very pleased with the person who finds it for him.” 

Now Clark looked interested, and wary. 

Lex restated what Dr. Swann had told him while conveniently leaving out mentions of the thing that killed the Kryptonians and the wild theory that humans came from Kryptonians. Those didn’t seem suitable to mention during a dinner conversation. 

Clark listened with an intense expression, drinking in Lex’s every word.

At the end Lex asked him a question.

“What?” 

“I said, do you think Kryptonians exist?”

“N-No. They’re just fairytales, right?”

“That’s how I feel too. And that’s for the best. If they did, LuthorCorp would have figured out a way to exploit them by now.” Lex said. “Would probably get them to open up the Lifestream more so reactors could get even the streams that go real deep into the Planet.”

“The Planet might explode if that happened.” Clark said in a voice with real horror. 

“That’s a interesting theory. Good thing it can’t be tested.” Lex said. “Besides, do you really think krypton reactors are hurting the Planet? There’s no solid scientific proof and it’s not like someone can ask the Planet if its hurting.” Well, there were people who could. Lex was talking about them right now, but their status was questionable and they could be as real as Lex’s flowing locks, or extinct. “Now where do you think the Promised Land could be? Is it more likely to be on another planet or somewhere on Gaia?” Lex asked. 

Clark shook his head. “Not where…but what.” 

Lex looked at Clark intently. “What do you mean by that?”

Clark flushed. 

Lex was interested and it was too late for Clark to take back his words. 

“Okay...please follow my logic here…”

Lex nodded. 

“So krypton reactors work by drawing out the Lifestream and turning it to krypton which is then used to produce electricity.””

“Yes.”

“It’s called the Lifestream because from it comes life, right? Where it flows, green things grow. Life comes from the Lifestream but where do things go when they die?”

“Clark, don’t get theological on me, I’m trying to find a real place.” A possibly real place. Lex broke eye contact, and lowered his head, putting a palm to his face. 

“I’m getting to it, Lex. Spirits have to go somewhere right? If things come from the Lifestream, why not back to it?”

“And why would spirits go to the ground, and not, say, in the sky somewhere?” Lex sighed. If "spirits" even existed. 

“But it’s a possibility right?”

“I suppose.” Hmm, so there was a possibility Lex may have been bathed in the energy of dead spirits the entire time. No wonder he was a freak. 

He felt sick. His car, Metropolis? But there was no proof. The Lifestream was the spirits of the dead just because Clark suggested it was? It felt like deja vu, like Clark had told him this before but that couldn’t be right. He had only met Clark last night. 

But before Lex could think further Clark was still speaking, about to drop another bombshell. 

“You just told me that Kryptonians commune with the Planet. It must be hard work, and tiring, to coax out the Lifestream, to do it all their lives. So to have rest at the end of a long journey…and return somewhere...like the Lifestream. Doesn’t that sound like a Promised Land?”

“Are you telling me that the Lifestream may be a Kryptonian heaven or final resting place?” Lex snorted. It sounded stupid. What heaven could there possibly be, there was only the Planet and what it had was plenty of pain and unfairness, and if this were the case… 

“With such a theory, then isn’t the company I work for-” Lex didn’t miss Clark’s cringe. “-already exploiting the Promised Land with krypton reactors? It sounds like you’re trying to say my car runs on dead Kryptonians, Clark.” And humans, hell any living thing. If the Lifestream was already the Promised Land then the task Lionel had assigned him was beyond unreasonable now. And obviously Lex had to be the sane one in his relationship with Clark. 

“You’re right. Everything I just said was really dumb.” Clark shook his head and began polishing off the rest of his salad. 

Lex was pretty much done too. He called for the bill. 

He didn’t let Clark see it. 

“Lex…” Clark whined. “How can I pay for the salad, which was very good by the way, if you won’t let me see the bill?”

He probably planned to use the Gil he had made today selling sunflowers. But Lex knew it wouldn’t work. Clark probably didn’t even make as much as he usually did from selling sunflowers due to the mood he had been in because of what someone close to him had done.

“I decided the place, an expensive place. I’m not going to make you pay for your own meal.” Lex countered. “If you want to pay you can do it when it’s your turn to take me on a date somewhere.”

“Okay.” Clark’s eyes lit up briefly at the mention of another date. His eyes were a lovely green, not like krypton but like the green of a meadow ringed by the sun. So Lex hadn’t scared him off yet by being a LuthorCorp employee and not taking his frankly unverifiable crack theories seriously. Maybe Lex should have shared Dr. Swann's theory about humans being the sister species of Kryptonians with Clark. Clark probably would have believed it. Lex respected Dr. Swann, who said the theories were without proof and just gleaned from legends but the way Clark shared his thoughts were earnest. There was a current of belief and Clark was the kind of person who prayed. Lex wasn't. 

Lex paid the waitress, large tips included and waved her off before Clark could get a good look at the Gil amount. 

Lex moved and sat next to Clark. The man had returned to being despondent and sad. Lex wrapped a arm around his shoulders and gestured at the Metropolis’ night skyline which was a clear sight through the glass. “Look, Clark, at Metropolis. All those lights are because of the electricity generated by the reactors. Isn’t it beautiful?” Admittedly, said reactors’ green plumes were kind of ruining the view. Sector 1's reactor was conspicuously offline. 

Clark looked. He took off his glasses and polished them for a bit before putting them on again and looking some more. “It is, but…”

“You don’t read the Daily Planet do you? And believe what they say?” Lex asked. 

Recognition registered in Clark’s body language. 

Lex sighed. “It’s trash they make up to sell papers. Of course there’s always a trade-off, the fertility of the land for electricity and power, light, but handled carefully, krypton reactors are perfectly safe." Obviously one wasn't suppose to be exposed to it too much though. Lex's exposure to krypton had resulted in superhuman strength and speed but there many people who could not make it into the ranks of SOLDIER, people who's minds or bodies were not strong enough to make it through the process. Whatever the process was, Lex was only certain krypton energy was involved. Lex wanted to find out, but Professor Fine was secretive and Lionel said he might give him the information if Lex found the Promised Land. The Promised Land might be the Lifestream, the Planet's veins. The Planet was huge, Lex thought, bigger than anything because it was the Planet, how could humans be capable of destroying it completely? 

“It’s late. I should be going.” Clark said. 

So, effectively ending the conversation then. 

Lex made his move, he placed both hands on Clark’s shoulders and leaned in until his lips were a inch apart from Clark’s. Lex waited. 

Clark closed the distance. Lex discovered that Clark’s lips were as soft as they looked. He pressed his own against them and tasted the salad dressing when he flicked his tongue out briefly. Clark took that opening and deepened the kiss. Lex could feel Clark’s tongue against his teeth and then under them. Lex was pleasantly surprised. Clark had looked rather mild-mannered in his “disguise” but he had slipped his tongue inside first. Clark’s hands had a strong grip on Lex’s hips. Their legs were entangled; all it would take is a stray movement, a bump, to discover changed conditions. 

“Wait.” Lex said, breaking the kiss. 

Clark looked disappointed. “What?” he breathed. 

“I ate the steak and lobster.” 

“So?”

“How did it taste?”

Clark sighed, covering his face with his palms. “It was good, the wine too.” 

“Okay, let’s go.” Lex said. 

“Go?” Clark echoed. 

“You’re going home. It’s late and your parents will wonder.”

“Oh R-Gaia…You’re right. They might think I’ve been captured.” Clark said, his fear not for himself but his parents. 

He followed Lex into the elevator and as they went down, they restarted their make out session. 

The doors opened too soon and they stumbled outside.

The sunflowers in Lex’s car were still remarkably fresh. He didn’t know how Clark did it but he was a skilled gardener. It may be his parents considering his farmer background (Smallville) and the flannel. 

Lex looked at his car seat. Mercy had followed his instructions perfectly. He pulled out the bouquet of red roses. 

“Oh.” Clark said as he climbed onto the passenger seat beside Lex. 

“For you.” Lex said, handing the flowers over with a flourish. 

Clark accepted the flowers as if they were an especially fragile treasure. “Thank you, Lex…I don’t know what to say.”

“Well you just said thanks.” Lex smiled. “Here.” He gently slipped a packet into Clark’s suit pocket. “That’s a packet of seeds if you ever want to grow them yourself.”

“Thank you.” Clark repeated, staring at his pocket, his voice awe-filled and trance-like. He snapped out of it after a moment, his head snapping back up to look at Lex. “But I didn’t get you anything.”

“That’s okay.”

“It’s not.”

“Let me have the basket of sunflowers you didn’t sell, okay?”

“That’s…” The ‘not enough’ or 'not appropriate' was unspoken but Lex knew. 

“You wanted to give me something right? So that’s what I want.”

“Okay...” Clark said, offering the basket to Lex. 

“Hold onto it for now, I don’t exactly have a convenient place to put them.”

Clark nodded. 

The drove in silence. Clark didn’t look at the back of the car anymore, ha! Had he been thinking of his crack theory then too? Currently, his eyes were closed and his lips moving without words. Praying again? Like that would help. Prayers didn't do anything. Besides, Lex was a great driver. But Lex didn’t look too much, he had to watch the night road. 

Then they were at Sector 7, Lex helped Clark avoid the checkpoints that had sprung up, suggested by General Alexander himself in fact. Lex felt satisfied that he was fulfilling his role as Clark's bodyguard as Clark gratefully followed. It was better than being General Alexander, although Lex was borrowing his information. Lex could not help but sneer at Sam Lane's incompetency. But it was dark. What if WATCHTOWER attacked suddenly? Lex thought. But he was in civilian guise. And Clark wouldn’t be a useful target. Lex thought he saw a shadow, it had nearly escaped his notice, but as he was about to investigate it turned out to be a woman. Isobel. The person who had hugged Clark last night. 

She was dressed in a black sleeveless zip-up vest and black long shorts. Her arms were crossed, black gloves in fists. 

Clark didn’t as look happy to see her as he had yesterday. She didn’t either. 

What had gone wrong? Lex hoped he hadn’t been the issue. If he was then he was in even deeper trouble considering the late time he had brought Clark back. 

“I’ll take over from here.” Isobel said stiffly. 

Lex let Clark go, after all she had gotten Clark back safely last night and that was why Lex even had a date tonight, right?

Clark was holding the roses, the sunflowers were left in Lex’s car. He seemed to be considering something. 

Decision reached, he walked over to Lex and pressed a brief chaste kiss to the side of his cheek. 

Isobel narrowed her eyes. “Let’s. Go. Clark.” She said warningly. 

“Good night.” Clark whispered in Lex’s ear before backing away and slowly walking over to Isobel’s side. 

“Good night.” Lex repeated as he watched their retreating backs. He found his way back to his car and drove in the direction of his penthouse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soylent green is people. Lifestream is also people (and Kryptonians). I hope that wasn't too bad because even in FFVII canon how the Lifestream works is not fully coherent. 
> 
> Clark stops looking at Lex’s aura so much because he thinks it’s because of experiments. Well Clark’s not wrong he just doesn’t know what specific experiments. 
> 
> And Lex is real deep in denial, even willful denial, about the Lifestream and krypton reactors. And so is much of the public. :T
> 
> Are all the clues staring Lex in the face getting to be too much? He refuses to see. (What's a god to a non-believer who don't believe in anything?)  
> I might have to edit this chapter to match up with the emotions Clark feels in the next two chapters (which covers what happened last night when Isobel escorted Clark home).


	5. Una

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clark trusts Isobel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I s2g every time I work on this story 5 plotholes appear and I fall into them :l  
> I edited Chapter 1 to mention Luthorcorp’s rumored excavation of the preserved body of a ““Kryptonian””. 
> 
> Unbeta’d as usual. Clark pov is tough. I have to draw lines on how much Clark knows so I may edit parts of this later if I discover a plot hole. This was hard because Aerith was so mysterious I don’t even know how much she knew but now I have to work on what Clark knows. 
> 
> Explanations and lines were liberally lifted from the final fantasy wiki or the FFVII game script.

On the night previous…

—

Clark had expected Isobel to lead him to his home but the path they were taking wasn’t quite right. But Clark trusted Isobel and he found himself by the bar she owned and managed, the Talon. 

He followed her inside through not the front entrance but a secret one he hadn’t even realized existed. 

The surprises continued when she activated a hidden switch and Clark found himself going down a lift to a basement room in the Talon. 

“Isobel, what’s going on?” Clark asked because Clark was in a room filled with people, most of which but not all, he knew. He had wondered if they had all gathered because he had worried them so much by being out late and nearly getting captured. Did news travel that fast? But that didn’t explain the strangers. 

Lois. Jimmy. Chloe. Oliver. Two men near Oliver that Clark did not know. 

“Isobel found you! I’m glad they didn’t catch you yet, flower boy.” Lois waved. There was a tightness to her smile.

“Hi…Lois.” Clark replied weakly. 

The extent was that Clark’s close friends knew he was an escaped test subject. 

“Clark, thank goodness you’re okay.” Chloe sighed in relief. 

“Our illustrious leader arrives.” Oliver said dryly but he looked relieved too. 

Leader? Was this a surprise party of some kind? But for who, Oliver? That would explain the unknown people near him. Maybe Isobel was breaking out the special booze for Oliver and had to hide it from the regular customers. 

But the expressions Clark were met with were mixed. Hope. Suspicion. Guilt. Fear. 

“What are you guys doing here?” Clark asked blankly. What was he doing here?

Clark let Isobel manhandle him onto an open seat while she remained standing, walking closer to everyone. 

“I’d like to start this meeting right off by saying my name is not really Isobel Thoreaux.” Isobel said. 

“What?” Clark turned to look at not-Isobel as there was a similar flurry of noise among the people gathered. 

“It’s Lana Lang.” Isobel- no, Lana said. 

“I suspected as much.” Oliver said. 

“The Exiled Princess of Xanthu!” Lois crowed, like she had stumbled upon the largest scoop ever. Lois continued chatting away. “No wonder at meetings you kept suggesting to attack the Krypton Cannon even though the security for it is too tight. Sorry Chloe has trouble hacking in and I can’t steal detailed enough plans from my father. I would be peeved too, to say the least, if a Giant Death Ray was pointed at my home country.” 

Clark remembered reading an article that criticized LuthorCorp’s excesses, one of which was its Krypton Cannon, which needed multiple krypton reactors to power and was suppose to be used only in the case of an emergency. It was in fact pointed at Xanthu. Which Lana was the missing princess of. Clark wondered which alternate reality he had dropped into. Considering his heritage, Clark disapproved of Death Rays greatly. 

Lana waited until everyone had clamored down. “I brought Clark here because this concerns him too. And it’s because of him I decided to reveal myself.”

“Because of me?” Clark asked. He was in shock. There was no way. The young girl he had grown up with was someone else, he hadn’t even been calling her by her true name all these years. Iso-Lana was a Princess. When they had played knight and princess (with Lois as the dragon and Chloe as Clark's disgruntled squire) Clark hadn't thought she actually was a princess. 

“Clark…there’s a limit to how much I can protect you and tonight proved it.” Lana said. “With the Xanthu War over,” Lana’s voice hitched, “LuthorCorp now has many open resources to put toward other concerns, such as capturing their escaped test subjects. I don’t regret having had you protected Clark, what I regret is that they thought I should be protected and didn’t let me stay to fight for my homeland.”

Clark couldn’t believe it. He was in shock. Lana was the Princess of Xanthu and her people had protected her from the war LuthorCorp had waged on her country by sending her away. And not only was she protected but she had extended the protection to Clark. Was that why Fine had not succeeded in recapturing him these past ten years? Isobel - Lana had been…she was…! 

“If WATCHTOWER, if we weren’t doing what we are to fight LuthorCorp you might have already been recaptured.” She said. 

WATCHTOWER. We. This was WATCHTOWER meeting? 

Clark gasped and fell to his knees before he could move one step, as a cacophony of memories and voices overwhelmed him. 

There were outraged shouts, the loudest from Lois and Chloe. 

Clark could only think of one reason for the pain he was experiencing. And he was right. 

The reason he hurt was because Lana was holding her necklace set with a green crystal, a necklace she had said she’d rid of. 

A while back Lana had been disappeared for two months and she had returned with that necklace. Now he knew why she had gone to Xanthu. It was her home. She had returned enraged, angry speeches at the ready about Xanthu’s materia ban policy, about the country’s declined state, about the reactor LuthorCorp had built and the strange rock she had found at its core. It was a dense crystal form of krypton. 

Now, an empty lead box was in her other hand. 

Clark was overwhelmed the first time and he was now too. He grasped desperately for his own memories and sense of self. 

He remembered his father Jor-El telling him about the Lifestream when Clark was little and still able to hear his voice. Jor-El had explained to him that the Planet spanning river called the Lifestream was the Planet’s blood, a collection of spiritual energy, a swell of souls and a river of the dead's memories.

Lara-El’s voice with Jor-El’s, telling Clark about the Lifestream like sharing a cherished tale. Her soft, mournful voice spoke about how the Lifestream was the sum of all living things on the Planet and each new life (plants, animals, human beings, Kryptonians) was blessed with the spiritual energy of the Lifestream prior to birth. And how upon an organism's death, its spiritual energy would returns to the Lifestream, taking with it the memories of its lifetime allowing the Lifestream as a whole to grow and the cycle to continue.

Kryptonians had many names for the Lifestream, countless ones, some of which Clark could no longer recall. The Ocean of Souls. Rao's Well. All Nature. All Creation. The 10,000 Songs (the memories of the different plants and creatures in the Lifestream). The First and Final Garden. Promised Land. All-blessing, all-covering, far-traveling, ever-flowing...

Krypton was condensed Lifestream, kryptonite, as a solid form even more so. When Is- Lana had come close to him the first time, with that necklace, he had been so submerged he nearly forgot who he was among the undulation of other memories and existences. 

Isobel had been so upset when, after the incident, Clark had meekly explained the Lifestream and the reason for his reaction and how that meant Xanthu’s reactor was therefore drawing out the souls of the Xanthuian people’s ancestors. He suspected that something snapped that day if it hadn’t already and Isobel changed. He certainly was seeing how she was now. 

Isobel had said she was Clark’s protector. Like Clark’s parents were, Jor-El, Lara-El, Martha and Jonathan. But now she was hurting him with a crystal of hyper-condensed Lifestream. 

Clark’s biological parents said they’d protect him but they had returned to the Lifestream. Clark supposed that they had avoided returning for years, as to not leave him alone, but had let go of the individuality they had maintained and became one with the Lifestream, becoming a droplet, one of countless spirits in the Lifestream. They had fought for so long and could rest now but they had held on before finally returning to the Lifestream - to the Promised Land. 

He recalled more things, things his parents had told to him from the Lifestream, when he was alone at night in those dark years he was held in Professor Fine’s laboratories. 

Kal-El, Jor-El’s voice, calling him by the name he had given Clark, a name which Clark cherished as much as the name Clark given by Martha and Jonathan but was also a little afraid of because of its weight as a Kryptonian name. Clark wasn’t sure he was the last, but he was certainly the only living one he knew. He had never gotten a close look at the specimen, as Professor Fine had called it, the preserved body of a Kryptonian Luthorcorp had excavated from the deep inside of some caves. Fine had called Clark specimen too. Those years in the labs, Clark had both wanted to see and not see the mummified body of a long dead relative, longing clashing with a disquiet he could not explain.

Clark’s adoptive mother, Martha Kent, had explained she had found him around the excavation. She had explained how she had been an intern, working to be a lawyer and observing to see that the excavation LuthorCorp was working on in caves by Smallville were following regulations. It was impulsive but Martha had saw the glow that came from a baby encased in crystal and Martha had stolen it, stolen Clark, who was the baby, because she didn’t think any good would come out of LuthorCorp finding an infant. 

She said she had thought she saw two ghosts, who had held the crystal encased child between them, but they faded to green light before her eyes and begged her to deliver their son and protect him from the Calamity. Martha had been so scared she made the wrong decision, carrying away the baby, and had only told Jonathan, because for years Clark hadn’t stirred in the crystal, but the two spirits had told Martha to protect him. Six years passed before Clark finally emerged from the crystal he was encased in, holding a smaller blue crystal in his small hands, diamond shaped with an S-like mark. Jor-El had explained it was the Kryptonian symbol for hope and said other things too.

“The Planet which humans call Gaia, we call Rao. We get our abilities from Her. As Kryptonians we Speak to the Planet, Unlock the Planet and will eventually Return to the Planet.”

“Return?” Clark had sent that thought along, communicating to his parents in the Lifestream was like breathing to him, which was early proof he wasn’t as human as he sometimes wished he was. 

“We Return to the Promised Land. A land of supreme happiness. Kal-El, our lives are a continuous journey. Our sacred duty to travel, to grow trees and plants, produce animals, and to raise Lifestream energy. The paths have harshness and beauty both and the place we return to after a long journey... is the Promised Land. It is the Lifestream from which we come. The moment that we are able to return to Rao. To return to Her from whence we came…that is bliss.”

“Someday you too son, will Return to the Lifestream.”

Clark shivered. He certainly wasn’t ready now or wanted to think about it. “But I can still hear you two…”

“I cannot yet go. We must be certain you are aware of your destiny. You must not Return until your destiny is fulfilled. ”

“Destiny?”

“Yes, my son. You must summon Holy and defeat the Harbinger once and for all. When the time comes you will know what to do. Trust in the Planet.” 

“The Harbinger?” Clark knew Holy was the spell locked in his strange blue crystal that he could not yet use. Supposedly at the right time he would know what to do to summon it. 

“Heaven’s Dark Harbinger. The Crisis from the Sky. Our enemy. It sleeps but you must defeat it, Kal-El. For Rao’s sake.”

“What happened?” Clark was curious but he was also afraid of what he’d hear. 

“2000 years ago, we Kryptonians heard the cries of the Planet.”

“The first ones to discover the Planet's wound were the Kryptonians at Argo.”

“Argo?” 

“Argo refers to the area to the north.” Lara-El supplied.

“We performed a Planet-reading, a conversation with the Planet...” Jor-El said.

Clark’s Kryptonian parents continued to speak, sometimes separately or together. 

“She said something fell from the sky, making a large wound.”

“Thousands of us pulled together, trying to heal the Planet.”

“But due to the severity of the wound, it was only able to heal itself, over many years.”

“As Kryptonians we can heal the Planet?” Clark asked. 

“We don’t exactly heal it. The life force of all living things on this Planet becomes the energy.”

“We tried desperately to cultivate the land so as not to diminish the needed energy...”

“But the snow in the north never melts.” Clark said. There was no life there. 

“That is right, Kal-El, because the Planet’s energy is gathered there to heal its injury.”

“The energy that was needed to heal the Planet withered away the land.”

“The Planet, She tried to convince us to leave Argo but…”

Clark tasted the flavor of sadness. He wanted to cease his questions but after a pause Jor-El and Lara-El continued to speak, alternating. 

“When Kryptonians, when we…were preparing to part with the land we loved…”

“It appeared…”

“It looked like... our... our dead mothers... and our dead brothers. Showing us spectres of their past.”

What did? Clark thought but didn’t want to ask. 

“The one who injured the Planet…the Day's Doom, that’s what we called it, came.”

“It approached as a friend, deceived us, and finally…gave us the virus.”

“We were attacked by the virus and went mad…transforming into monsters.”

“Just as it had at Argo…”

“It approached other Kryptonians…infecting everyone with…the virus…” 

"Too many, too soon...many of us perished and Returned."

"A quarantine was established. No one was allowed to leave the Planet. If even one of us left with the Doom in tow...it would have meant death for countless other Worlds."

Clark shuddered. “What happened…to it? Where were the humans?” He couldn’t help but be curious because the Planet still had life and humans were around. 

“The humans retreated to their hiding places…” Clark did not miss the disapproval in Jor-El’s voice when he had spoken of humans. 

“The last of us banded together and sealed the Thing away.”

“It sleeps, but the Crisis is not finished. You must summon Holy, Kal-El.”

“For 2000 years we have been crystallizing it. Around you, my son.”

I don't want you two to leave but I can't keep you from the Promised Land..." Clark paused, the dreaded questions on his lips. "But the survivors that banded together, over the 2000 years were there descendants? ...Are there still Kryptonians...besides me?

"We do not know, Kal-El. We are only aware of you, our son."

"Is there something else besides Holy...that can do something?" Clark asked. About the Calamity so Clark didn't have to. Clark was aware of having a destiny but he feared it and its burden.

Only Jor-El answered, sounding pained. "There was...but you cannot let it happen." There was no further elaboration. 

“We held on… but we must go soon.” Said by both of Clark's Kryptonian parents.

And they had. Over the years their voices had faded until Clark couldn’t distinguish them any longer. Clark grew up wishing to find another Kryptonian. Any one at all. His wish remained unrealized.

Clark was Kryptonian but raised by humans. Clark’s parents were the Kents and Els both. 

It was a three happy years with the Kents until Professor Fine had found them. 

(It was fortunate that Clark had given Jonathan his blue crystal for safe-keeping. Jonathan had put it in a box and buried it somewhere secret, somewhere safe. Clark didn't think he would have been able to hide it from Fine forever if it had been brought with him into the labs. Once they escaped, Jonathan recovered it and Clark had held the diamond close. It was like regaining a part of himself.)

Professor Fine had not only held Clark hostage but had kept Martha Kent and Jonathan Kent too, as lab assistants, and Clark recalled Jonathan’s helpless rage and Professor Fine’s indifference. Clark’s parents were his only comfort, besides the boy Clark could not see, who was in the labs too but he moved with more freedom while Clark was constantly restrained and watched by two teenage girls called Mercy and Hope. They were uniformed and serious. They didn't talk to him unless they had to and Clark had asked once why they were doing what they were. 

"For a paycheck." Mercy had said. 

Other people were more talkative. 

“Do you have parents?” Clark asked the boy the first time Clark had been aware of him being near, on the other side of a mirror Clark could not look through. He was scared not for himself for once but for the boy, who was here without parents while Clark had four.

“Of course I do! I have a dad.” The boy had snapped. “I just don’t know who my mom is…”

Then his voice had gotten angry like he was upset he had even let slip he didn’t know who his mother was.

“Why are you asking me weird questions…KA-23872?”

Clark frowned because the boy must have read the label Professor Fine had assigned him. 

“Don’t call me that.”

“What, KA-23872? Where are your parents?”

“Two of them are dead.”

Silence. Then, “Sorry…”

“But they’re in a good place." The best place actually, the Promised Land. Back with Rao and at least in peace after so much terror. "I have two more parents and they are alive but not happy because I’m here.”

“Oh…wow, four parents. My dad’s happy I’m here. He’s proud of me and says I’m going to be a warrior.”

It disturbed Clark that a parent would let a child be in a lab as an experiment. He was about to voice that concern but was interrupted in his thoughts. 

“Hey if I can’t call you KA-23872, what do I call you?”

Clark sighed at being called that again. “Kal.” He answered. 

“Ok, Kal. What’s having a mother like?”

Clark thought about Martha’s hugs, glad he could still have them while in the labs but now they had a sad apologetic quality. Clark understood they were trapped and that it was better his parents were here than not at all but they felt guilty, unable to get Clark out. 

“It’s…nice. When I get hurt, ma is always there to make me feel better.”

Martha, like Jonathan, had to be around as Professor Fine’s unwilling assistant. Fine laughed whenever Jonathan spoke of "morals." At least there was some peace on the days Fine was too busy analyzing data to be running experiments. Clark remembered better times when he lived in a house and not a lab and the sound of lullabies, the sensation of being rocked to sleep. He described it. 

“Oh.” There was so much longing in that one syllable. 

“What do I call you then?” 

“My father says I shouldn’t tell test subjects my name. I did before and he got mad.” His voice clearly conveyed his father mad was not a good thing. Clark's father got angry but it was at Fine. Clark remembered when Jonathan was mad at him but that was because he had done something dangerous. Clark wanted to look more closely at a crack where the Lifestream peeked out from the earth, and he had nearly fallen. Jonathan had been afraid of losing Clark and that was where the anger at Clark's actions came from. It had dissipated as quickly as it arrived. The boy made it sound like when his father got mad he made sure the boy knew very clearly and not in any good way. 

“…Can you tell me a fake name then?” Clark asked hopefully. 

“…Joseph.”

“Okay, Joseph.”

“You have more parents than I do, but do you have any siblings? I have a br-sister. A sister. Do you?”

“No…” Clark didn’t have any siblings. No living blood relatives at all in fact. His biological parents were in the Lifestream and another Kryptonian that was a preserved and silent body. 

“That’s okay. I can be your brother since you don’t have any siblings.” Joseph sounded slightly smug, as if he had more points than Clark in whatever game they were playing because Joseph had a sibling and Clark didn’t. 

Clark tried to reach for a retort but Joseph spoke again.

“Nice to meet you Kal, but I have to go give Professor Fine another blood sample now. Talk to you later!”

They did talk more later, through the door of the room Clark was kept behind. The test subjects were kept apart as to not influence the data. They talked about many subjects. Joseph talked an awful lot about warfare and strategy, tons of it, alot of which Clark didn’t understand, but the boy was older. 

Clark mostly just listened, occasionally commenting though frequently lost. He was guilty of zoning out more than once when the surge of voices in the Lifestream became too great and Clark hadn't gotten the hang of tuning stuff out yet. Clark didn't want to talk about himself because it would reveal how weird he really was. He didn’t think other kids could hear the heartbeat of the Planet or their dead parents. He’d thought of sharing his nightmares, which were frequent and reoccurring, vague except for the inexplicable terror, with Joseph, but that seemed cruel when they were living one. 

(When Clark was older he could hear the Cry of the Planet too. She was dying. Rao was dying; her blood sucked up by the krypton reactors that dotted the Planet and Clark could do nothing because he was scared and the last and hiding after he had finally escaped LuthorCorp’s labs after years and he didn’t want to go back, didn’t want to do something to draw attention to himself. He sold flowers that he grew himself in the remains of an abandoned barn in Metropolis where the Lifestream broke through the surface so flowers could grow, even in a city powered by eight krypton reactors, just wasting time waiting for when he would be old enough to embrace his Destiny and summon Holy, whatever that meant. Clark had grown up wishing to find another Kryptonian. Because surely the band of survivors, small as they had been, had descendants? The lines continuing down over 2000 years? They could save the Planet instead. Clark hid and hoped that some other Kryptonian would do something. Thus far his wish remained unrealized.) 

One day, Clark, wanting to share what his parents in the Lifestream had told him, told Joseph about the Lifestream with the limited vocabulary Clark could muster while carefully removing references to Kryptonians, it was not like Lifestream communication where thoughts were enough. Clark had wanted to comfort him because Joseph seemed to have come to the conclusion that his mother was dead. Clark wanted to convey that death wasn’t necessarily scary. After all, for Kryptonians, the Promised Land was at the end.

“That sounds dumb and fake. The last experiment must have really messed you up.”

Clark was silent. He was hurt Joseph would so easily dismiss what he had shared.

“But that’s okay I’m messed up too.” Joseph said. 

And Joseph did get messed up, once Clark actually saw him instead of just hearing his voice and he was in a wheelchair, covered in bandages and heavily drugged. The boy was bandaged up so much Clark couldn’t see his face. Clark didn’t think Joseph would even recognize him. Clark knew the experiments Joseph was put into required a lot of combat. 

Joseph was suppose to heal by himself, to test his healing abilities but Clark had impulsively used a Cure spell before he knew it and Fine had marched in, furious. Furious turned to curious as he realized Clark was not holding any materia. That was the first time Clark became sure he could do materia-less magic. He knew it wasn't normal.

Martha had saved Clark by holding out a Restore materia and apologizing for her son ruining the experiment, and there, she had taken the materia away from him so he wouldn’t cause any more trouble. 

Fine had briefly looked at Joseph, his curiosity intensifying. “My, those wounds were much deeper than that, nothing less than a Curaja would have helped.” 

“Oh, you’re his mother.” Joseph said suddenly, bandaged head looking in Martha’s direction. “Why haven’t you gotten him out of here yet?”

Clark felt defensive, because his parents had tried, many times but Mercy and Hope were always there and Fine’s moods were mercurial and Clark suspected he wasn’t hurt as much because Fine figured out Clark’s friendship with Joseph and was punishing Joseph in place of Clark and his parents. 

He opened up his mouth but no words came out because he couldn’t snap at Joseph while he was hurt, and Martha couldn’t respond either because Fine was ordering Mercy to to wheel Joseph out so he could restart the experiment. 

And that had been Clark’s first and only time seeing Joseph in person. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's two chapters because this was one chapter but it got too long. 
> 
> I’m indulging in all my favorite narrative kinks, Forgotten First Meetings and Secret Identities. :P 
> 
> Notes:  
> Joseph is Lex’s middle name. 
> 
> Yes, Lex forget him and Clark’s first meetings? Amnesia. Hey if SV can do it so can I. A battle injury (head injury?), one too many krypton showers/exposure (krypton is Lifestream which is memories and dead spirits so of course it has weird mind effects). Lots of things are wrong with Lex actually. *looks into the camera like on The Office* 
> 
> SV Role to FFVII Role:  
> Rao - Minerva (The Planet/Gaia’s avatar)  
> Argo - Knowlespole  
> Argo is a large city on Krypton from Superman comics canon (Supergirl's birthplace) but here I’m just using it as a place name to describe the name of the place where the Harbinger crashed onto the Planet.  
> House of El Crystal - Ultimate White Magic Materia Holy
> 
> In this AU Kryptonians and how they work are changed so much as to be unrecognizable. :)  
> Their powers come from the Planet and not the Sun (but that's important too because sunlight for plants) and they are not dedicated to science as much so the “other thing,” faith. 
> 
> If you’ve seen John Carpenter’s The Thing 1982, the Crisis from the Sky works similarly. If you haven’t, you probably know what a zombie apocalypse is like and that’s what happened to the Kryptonians. 
> 
> SV Roles and FFVII Roles:  
> Lana Lang - Yuffie Kisaragi & Tifa Lockhart & ???  
> WATCHTOWER (Lana, Oliver, Victor, Arthur, Lois, Chloe, Jimmy) - AVALANCHE  
> I have plans for Pete to appear in this fic but he'll appear way later.  
> The following is a rant of sorts:
> 
> Watching SV as a young teen I thought of Lana Lang as 狼姑娘, because I thought her surname Lang meant the Chinese surname Wolf (Kristin Kreuk is Dutch and Chinese). So imagine my displeased surprise when I revisited SV years later and found out Lang is meant as a European surname (like Andrew Lang's Fairy Books) and in show her parents & grandparents are French. In canon she's suppose to be just French. I am not accepting that. In the show she's never acknowledged as Chinese textually despite some suspect shit like her hiding in Shanghai(I'm haven't watched SV's China episode because even from the little I know of it, it's offensive.) or Lana's French witch incarnation Isobel being skilled at marital arts. What kind of bullshit is this? Fuck that, Lana Lang is Chinese and she is a woman of color in this fic. Also, I'm going to use a lot of wolf references. 
> 
> Story Problems: How rare should Kryptonite be? 
> 
> Because if I make it common to every reactor core that means Lionel should have tons of kryptonite. Ugh. So I’ve decided to make it so it’s only found at the core of Xanthu’s reactor (something about how the land & Lifestream there is different because Kryptonians persisted there longer, thus the tendency for people there to have affinities to materia magic such as Lana’s family) And LuthorCorp hasn’t figured out that stuff is in Xanthu’s reactor core yet because Lana gave orders to the remnants of Crescent Unit (elite Xanthu soldiers) to go to the core and periodically remove and hide that shit.


	6. Bivium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot of secrets are revealed, none of them Clark's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Death, animal death  
> Unbeta'd.  
> I edited Chapter 2 to include more references to WATCHTOWER’s activities.  
> I changed facts so WATCHTOWER thus far only destroyed Sector 1’s reactor, and the Atlantis (here just a regular coastal city)’s distant Underwater Reactor. 
> 
> Lots of materia magic using in this chapter, if you get confused see Chapter 1’s notes on materia or leave questions and feedback.
> 
> This chapter was posted with 5 because it got long (6,600 words) so I split it in two. My run-on sentences are getting more atrocious.

While Joseph’s combat skills were tested, Professor Fine was preoccupied with how Clark’s skill with materia could have military applications, to make it so normal troops could use materia easily too. It was fortunate he hadn’t yet figured out a way to pierce Clark’s skin, which looked normal but was tougher than crystal. 

Past tests had been Fine being palpably disappointed when Clark didn’t seem to show any signs of having unusual strength. Professor Fine kept to testing Clark’s materia using abilities after Clark had attempted to use one Joseph had sneaked him after he described how to use it. Clark had been mesmerized by the sight of Joseph’s pale fingers. 

Fine was more pleased than pissed when his lab coat had unexpectedly caught on fire. Later he brought out a bunch of materia and waited expectantly as Clark handled them. Clark didn’t know what he was suppose to do, he just knew that when he touched them the knowledge was with him and that somehow from then on even if he didn’t have the materia in hand he would have been able to use the spells. 

Fine had expected his parents to be ready to take notes but they had reacted anxiously and angrily. They couldn’t do much when the woman wearing suits, the Virtues, were around. The one named Hope had Martha and Jonathan behind a Barrier spell. 

Clark touched the materia he knew was the right one he wanted. “DeBarrier…” He said. 

His parents fell forward, surprised by the barrier that was holding them back suddenly disappearing. 

Jonathan took his chance and leaped at Fine only to find himself on his back seconds later as Mercy cocked her gun. 

“Mercy, please restrain Jonathan and put him away until he’s calm and ready to help me take notes.” Fine said, holding a Fire materia near Clark’s head, where it glowed ominously. “Martha, you’re ready to assist I presume?”

Martha had nodded numbly. 

From then on Fine kept testing Clark’s affinity for materia magic. Sometimes he had Clark use materia, sometimes he had materia used on Clark to test his magic resistance. And Clark did have some resistance, but thunder still shocked, ice froze, and fire burned. Clark was made to heal himself using Restore materia. He had an affinity toward restore magic, which disappointed Fine, who had wanted Clark to be aligned toward a destructive elemental magic. 

Sometimes Fine talked aloud. 

“Surprisingly, subject used Level 2 Fira with a Level 1 materia that was freshly manufactured…”

Clark limited his attempts to break out with materia magic. He learned the first time when Mercy had burned through his Blizzard with Fire and knocked him to the ground, immobilizing him. 

Clark knew he could possibly kill his captors but he didn’t. The thought was incredibly repulsive. 

Once, Clark had summoned a simple Chocobo, a medium-sized, yellow and quick flightless bird, and he didn’t want to tell it what to do. It felt wrong somehow to control it, to even make demands of it. So Clark watched helplessly as it jumped around squawking, until Fine shot at it and the bird dissipated. 

Clark had thrown up. He saw the bird’s aura, a pale green halo, fade as it died. Clark saw the aura around all living beings - he knew it was the Lifestream’s blessing, returning to the Planet, to Rao. It wasn’t suppose to be sad, especially if it was at the end of a long and natural life, but Clark felt hollow, empty, every time the light left. 

(He briefly thought of Lex, who he had just met. Lex who was strange and had saved him. Lex, whose aura was odd and different from other people’s, sickly somehow. Clark had to hang out with him more, find out why and help him even if the only excuse Clark could think of at the time was to date him.) 

Clark had felt that hollowness too, when a guard soldier was killed before him on the day Martha and Jonathan escaped with him when experimental monsters had broke free and the labs were in chaos so they had taken the chance to escape. Clark wanted to take Joseph with them too, but Jonathan wanted to leave immediately with his family and Clark had already used time to heal Mercy and Hope. They had been critically injured fighting the creatures and Clark could hear but not see Joseph fighting the escaped monsters. 

Even if the two women had been his jail keepers, Clark was terrified of their auras fading too and when Mercy had held out a Full Cure materia toward Hope, Clark had used Full Cure magic on both of them, not missing Mercy's shocked expression. 

(Clark would realize later Mercy might have know what he was because of what he had done but she continued to let him go free, even helped him go free, upon their later meetings.)

He didn’t understand why it was so important then, growing up, L-Isobel had made him practice using materia again and again. Even tricked him and removed materia from him with her fast reflexes when he wasn’t paying good enough attention, and had called him out for using materia he didn’t have equipped because she was holding it. 

But now Isobel was hurting him. No, Lana was. Isobel was someone else. 

It was Isobel who taught him how to use materia believably. Isobel who had taught him how to run at high speeds without crashing into things. Isobel who had laughed one moment when Clark crashed into something and gone quiet and sad the next when she had said she had been like that too at the beginning of her training and now her instructor was gone. Isobel had held Clark while he had sobbed because they had stumbled upon a dying wolf and Clark had seen its aura fade. The person hurting him had to be a stranger, someone named Lana. 

Lana was speaking to him. “I kept it Clark, because I needed a reminder. You told me what it was and I believed you and if I had known further what it would mean when LuthorCorp won the war…” 

Clark had sunk himself deep in his own memories to counter the pressure of memories that were not his. He didn’t realize when she had put the necklace away. He caught the tail end of her words. She was explaining away his reaction to what she had done by saying she had used a Gravity materia spell. Protecting his identity, but she had just hurt him.

He remembered her reaction when he had first explained the kryptonite. 

“Souls, Clark?” Her eyes had been wild. “My parents were buried near the reactor…” 

Clark couldn’t be in denial. He had seen her darkness before. That time her face held no sweetness at all. Lana was Isobel, Isobel was Lana. She was herself. 

“I trust that you won’t betray us.” Lana said, holding the lead box in her hand so she could flip it open at a moment’s notice. 

“I swear…”

“On Rao.” Lana said her voice dangerously soft. Her sharp green eyes were intent on him. 

Clark regretted telling her.

“On Rao.” Clark said between clenched teeth. 

“That I will not betray the identities of the members of WATCHTOWER or I will be forever barred from the Promised Land.” She said in the same tone.

“Isobel!”

“I already said my true name is Lana Lang, Clark. You are not allowed to reveal that to anyone outside of this meeting by the way. Isobel is just a cowardly shell, the exile who could enjoy her childhood while her home burned.” 

“WATCHTOWER…I can’t - people have been hurt.” Clark remembered another time, another promise. Isobel had made Clark promise to come and save her if she was in danger. Clark had protested that with her materia using abilities, speed and weapon proficiency she could save herself from any situation. But she had said she wanted to experience being saved by him, just once. Clark had agreed. But now how could he save her from herself? 

“Stand back.” Lana said to the rest of the gathered people while she dragged Clark to a corner. 

“Lana, as a…you know, I value life. What all of you are doing -”

“No one’s been hurt, Clark. Except some LuthorCorp employees but they deserve it.” Lana snapped. “Don’t believe everything you hear on Luthor News.”

“I-”

“Value life? Where were you when General Alexander, when LuthorCorp, was conquering the world?” Lana hissed. “Why were you there for me but not my parents, and everyone else…”

Oh Rao. Lana was crying on him. Like a habit, he held her. 

“Clark…” Lana whispered. “You told me the Planet is hurting, well we’re doing something about it.”

“You’re using the Planet to justify your revenge-”

Lana pushed him away, her voice rising, “We both want the same thing! Saving the Planet, protecting you, revenge, can’t it be all?”

“Some of us are doing something while others stand around selling flowers.” Oliver said. “They experimented on you, Clark. LuthorCorp is your enemy too!”

Oliver had somehow managed to get close enough to hear. 

Clark really hope Oliver only hear the tail end of their conversation. Only Clark’s parents and Lana knew he was a Kryptonian. 

Clark had sold flowers, he wanted to help his parents with the rent and he wanted to help Isob- Lana with the Talon’s rent. She didn’t seem to be running it as a proper business. I mean she tried but the hours were so weird and…she had been just using it as a cover for WATCHTOWER. Clark had helped pay the rent for her terrorist base. Shit. 

“And Is- Lana…” Oliver began. 

Clark was briefly glad someone else also wasn’t so quick to get used to her new name, or her old one rather. 

“Lana, none of us should be blamed for whatever General Alexander did. Clark would have been nine when the General first appeared and rose to fame and power, even if no one’s really seen his face. If rumors are true he went to battle at age fourteen, if he’s not really an evil supernatural spirit instead of a regular human enhanced by Luthorcorp’s super solider program.” Oliver said.

Clark frowned. General Alexander had appeared shortly after Clark had escaped from the labs, rising to prominence at the pace of the fall of a meteor. 

“Are you alright there, flower boy?” Lois said nervously, her cheer fake despite her use of her favorite nickname for Clark. She had managed to get close too. 

Lois was a WATCHTOWER member too. Practically everyone Clark knew. He moaned. He wanted to not exist right now, maybe momentarily Return. If that was a thing. He would ask his biological parents but he had stopped hearing their voices years ago. Now he just constantly heard the unintelligible murmurs of those in the Lifestream. Fortunately he had learned to tune it out. 

Things started to make sense. Clark had worried about Isobel. He remembered the time she had came home furious. Her wrist was broken. She was mentally and physically exhausted. How much magic did she use, to not have enough energy left over to heal herself? He healed her but her anger had persisted. She apologized the next day but he had a glimpse of her darkness then too but had ignored it. 

Oliver had been out of it too. Sometimes he showed up at the Talon to flirt with Clark (badly), and buy a sunflower, which he had once compared to his spikey and gelled blonde hair. Clark always rejected him because Clark had a crush on Iso-Lana. But whenever he’d think of reaching out she wouldn’t be receptive. Now Clark knew why. Revenge first, Clark somewhere else on the Important to I-Lana list. Oliver didn’t seem to be his usual self that day and he had gotten incredibly drunk, lamenting a lost love and how he was a massive jerk or something. Lois didn't talk to Oliver for days. Lois. Not talking. Until Clark heard, but could not make out their angry confrontation. They were still friends but Clark knew since that day a tense undercurrent had come into being.

“Rakshasa and Green Arrow?” Clark said cautiously, remembering Luthor News’ coverage on the infamous assassination attempt on Augustus Luthor’s life. Supposedly Lionel Luthor was the original target. 

Lana and Oliver’s reactions confirmed it. 

So apparently Oliver didn’t just go to the Talon to get drunk. He was there for business. WATCHTOWER business. 

“Is anyone else here keeping a huge secret?” Clark said sarcastically, ignoring that his heritage was a pretty big secret itself. 

“Hey Clark, you know how you like the Daily Planet’s articles so much but complain about the many typos?” Lois asked, butting in. 

“Yes…”

“I wrote them. You liked the Krypton Cannon one right?”

“Lois!”

“I don’t always agree with Oliver and Lana, but the Planet is really dying.” Lois said. 

The people who contributed to “Daily, the Planet is dying” were anonymous and Clark had wanted to write too, if only to expunge some of his guilt over failing Rao, but his parents had said even then it was too dangerous. He had told Lana about the Planet and he supposed she must have passed on the info somehow to Lois. 

“Clark, you know that bomb that destroyed Sector 1’s reactor, and the ones that destroyed some LuthorCorp factories…?” Chloe began.

Wow, by now almost everyone had walked over to the now crowded corner. 

Clark recalled watching the news and hearing of the destruction of Sector 1’s reactor. Clark had been horrified while Chloe had looked strangely proud, like she was seeing her handiwork on the news. 

“I made that. Also, I made the electronic IDs that got us inside.” Chloe said.

“Luthor News is a bunch of lies. Medicine and cars weren’t being produced in those factories.” Jimmy supplied. “It was materia and weapons. Their cars are starting to be run on krypton too anyway.”

“Jimmy, did you take those photos that appeared in the Daily Planet…” Clark said. Pictures of krypton powered guns. 

“Yup.”

Looks like it was tell your secrets to Clark night. At least it wasn’t the reverse. By the way I’m the one of the last of this Planet’s original inhabitants. Also, I hear dead people.

Oliver was trying to get Clark’s attention. 

He gestured at the two men who were strangers to Clark. 

“Clark, this is Victor Stone and Arthur Curry. Without them, our attack on Atlantis’ Underwater Reactor would not have been successful. Victor assisted Chloe on the bombs and IDs.” Oliver said. 

The Underwater Reactor too? This was too much, Clark needed time. He need to get away. 

But everyone seemed to have formed a circle around him and were pulling him toward the meeting table. 

Thusly Clark found himself the guest of a WATCHTOWER meeting. They trusted him, Clark realized with growing horror. 

Clark listened; half paying attention, half trying to come to terms with all that he had learned tonight. It was not everyday one found out all their friends were eco-terrorists picking a fight with the largest corporation in town and said corporation owned the entire town.

WATCHTOWER was in an argument with Lois at the center about whether or not they should trust someone called CS, an informant who was their main source on a lot of their info on LuthorCorp. Oliver was insisting that Lois’ spying on her father Sam Lane was enough while she insisted they needed the help of CS. 

“CS is why we’re having the success we have!” Lois growled.

“We shouldn’t trust them because we don’t even know who they are!” Oliver growled back.

“So? I always write for the Daily Planet anonymously. I’d like get get credit for my work but no, it’s too dangerous.” Lois said. 

“Why do they always only contact you?” Oliver grumbled. 

“Oh, so that’s what this is about, huh?” Lois snorted. “They only trust me, and you’re jealous.”

Oliver looked ready to say something he’d regret.

“Lois, you’re a spy?” Clark wailed when it registered. 

“I’m careful.” Lois said haughtily. “Besides I’m his only daughter it’s not like he’ll do something too drastic if he finds out. I disagree with a lot of what he’s involved in…”

“The super soldier program, SOLDIER for one thing, and I don’t have any proof but besides exposure to krypton radiation, their secret ingredient may be an alien.” Lois continued. 

“What?” Clark said. Lana was looking at him meaningfully while Clark’s head was spinning. 

“I don’t know if it exists, we’ll need pictures.” Lois looked at Jimmy while he gave her a thumbs up. “But a long time ago LuthorCorp went digging around for an alien, and they found one so that’s what they're putting into their regular soldiers to make super soldiers.” 

“That makes sense, General Alexander is so strong and unstoppable because he’s an alien!” Jimmy said. “It took alot of years but he even took down Xan-” He stopped as if he remembered that Lana was in the room. 

The table was cracked where she had clenched her hands. She had gone strangely quiet when the meeting began. 

Clark meanwhile was freaking out a little. LuthorCorp’s super soldiers were enhanced with krypton and the…DNA? Cells? Of one of his dead ancestors? That sounded so wrong. Clark had escaped the lab but a preserved body couldn't.

“Or it could be just krypton. That’s what I’m sure they use.” Lois said. 

Clark understood. Krypton was processed Lifestream and Lifestream was the collective souls and memories of all living things. Of course it would have unexpected muta-genic effects on humans. Too much exposure could cause poisoning, even death. Clark shivered, that something like the Lifestream could be so corrupted, turned to krypton and used to generate electricity… 

“Krypton isn’t safe for humans to be openly exposed to for too long. I keep on writing articles but the public-” Lois continue to speak. 

“People won’t listen when the powerful LuthorCorp’s news tells them to believe everything is okay.” Oliver interrupted.

“The truth is simply too terrifying.” Arthur added.

“But the illegal experiments they have been doing are very much real.” Victor said, holding out his cybernetic arm. 

Clark knew too, he had been in the LuthorCorp labs for years. 

“Illegal is relative when LuthorCorp rules Metropolis.” Chloe sighed. 

“Clark, we need you to go.” Lana said suddenly. “Because we’re going to discuss important things now.”

Was she treating him like a child? She was just one year older than him, how dare she? 

Well, Clark had no trouble finding the exit. 

“Remember your oath.” She whispered into his ear before he left. Normally, Clark would be happy she was so close but now things were not normal at all. 

He walked the short distance to the place his parents lived, not noticing Lana trailing him silently, making sure he reached his parent's doorstep safely. 

Clark's parents had stayed up late, waiting for him. Clark apologized for worrying them and tried to put on a good smile but it wasn't very successful. Giving his parents a hug, Clark pleaded sleep and they agreed, not seeking explanations.

Clark did not find sleep easily. The nightmares he had had grew less frequent over the years but that night Clark had a nightmare, a bad one, the worst he had experienced since escaping Fine’s lab. (It was a miracle what a difference in environment could make.) It’s a particularly violent nightmare about the last days of the Kryptonians. Brother killing brother. Friend killing friend. Mass paranoia. Fearful accusations. The air thick with spells. Rao's sorrow. It shifted and changed. Clark cannot tell if the people he was meeting with was family and friends or the Harbinger. Martha was saying that of course she was his mother and brought up her memory of an instance when Clark had eaten so much apple pie he had gotten sick afterward, wasting it on a sad shrub. But Jonathan appeared by her and it was wrong, off. Because the Doom hadn’t finished transforming. Jonathan’s fingers, familiar to Clark, calloused and work worn from when Jonathan had been something called a farmer and did something like what Kryptonians did, working the land - his fingers were never that long. 

“Clark, son…” Jonathan said, so fatherly and kind. 

But Jor-El and Lara-El whispered in Clark’s mind. 

“It looked like... our... our dead mothers... and our dead brothers. Showing us spectres of their past.”

Clark want to follow but he also wanted to run.

Martha and Jonathan made the first move, moving away. Clark didn’t want his parents to go. (Clark knew they weren’t Martha and Jonathan any longer but it still hurt to see them walk away.)

His parents were walking away from Clark and to Lex. 

What is Lex doing in my dream? Clark thought. They had only just met. 

“Reunion.” His parents chanted. “Reunion.” 

“Reunion.” Jor-El and Lara-El’s voices joined his adoptive parents' voices. “Reunion.” Over and over again. 

Lex smiled. “Reunion,” he agreed. He was holding something in his hand - a severed head. A single wing unfurled. 

Clark woke up drenched in sweat, not remembering a thing except the feeling of dread. The first thing he checked was his heirloom. The blue diamond shaped crystal marked with the symbol for hope was still there. But it was silent. Useless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Plot hole" explanation: Clark doesn't recognize Joseph's aura as Lex's aura because Lex was younger then and his aura wasn't weird yet. 
> 
> SV roles and FFVII roles:  
> Clearly, Chloe - Jessie (Chloe is not dying! Do not worry Chloe fans)  
> In video game mechanics-wise, Full Cure is a high level single-target healing spell that takes 99 MP which is the max MP someone can have, and it heals max HP, so that’s why Clark using Full Cure two times in a row without break is highly suspicious. 
> 
> Chapter 5 and 6 is finally the last big info dump (for now?) on how Kryptonians work in this AU.  
> Drinking game idea for chapter 3-6, take a sip every time reactors, krypton, Kryptonians or the Lifestream is mentioned ( I’m kidding don’t do this)  
> All the clues are there and hopefully everyone can see Clark and Lex truly are the "stuff of (Kryptonian) legends". :)
> 
> I hope this isn’t too weird for SV only peeps, ideally I should have a two betas, one who’s familiar with both, and a Smallville only one. 
> 
> Comments as always, are loved. 
> 
> The meteor the Calamity arrives on is the remains of a Planet its obliterated. I love headcanons for Jenova that it was once a planet and something went horribly wrong, maybe the inhabitants figured out how to make krypton reactors and it was dying and in self-defense it became a twisted monster. 
> 
>  [I recommend this short and great drabble](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3769507/chapters/8374909)


	7. Templum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lex doesn't know what he's found. Clark brings Lex to the Fortress of Solitude.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd.
> 
> Disclaimer: I know jack shit about gardening. 
> 
> I realized there was a plothole in chapters 5&6 while working on this chapter.  
> How did Clark hide Holy from Fine all those years in the lab? I edited a previous chapter to mention Jonathan burying it in a secret safe place and after they escaped he dug it up and gave it back to Clark. Yay Jonathan! 
> 
> PHS (Portable Handheld System) is a cellphone like device.
> 
> [Basic soldier uniform looking like this, head is significantly obscured) ](http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/File:Infantry-ccvii-greenneck.png)
> 
> I split a chapter again because it got long.

Lex was bored.

Lionel had heaped a bunch tons of managerial texts on him. He really did want Lex to replace Tess. Lex closed the book before he even finished reading the chapter he was on. 

His eyes wandered to the sunflower in the vase on his desk.

Lex decided to take a break.

—

Lex wandered around Sector 7 in a decidedly random and not strategic way. He didn’t think things through. All he wanted to do was see Clark. And who knows, maybe he’d accidentally stumble upon WATCHTOWER’s hideout. If he did, Lionel would surely forgive him for slacking off. 

Lex realized that he didn’t have any way of contacting Clark. He hadn’t asked so Clark didn’t give him the means. No address, no number, he wasn’t even sure if Clark had a PHS. He wasn’t sure if Clark would take a break from selling his usual sunflowers to start growing roses. Lex had driven by the upper areas on Metropolis in his car and didn’t see Clark anywhere.

He decided Clark wasn’t in the upper reaches of Metropolis so he went below the plates, to Sector 7, on foot, once he put away his car. It wasn’t a hassle, Clark must have made the same journey back and forth countless times. And as a SOLDIER, Lex had unusual speed. But Sector 7 was a rough, unplanned mess. 

He stumbled upon an out of the way, dingy bar. It was easy to miss. Lex read the dilapidated sign. It read “The Talon”. 

Well, a look couldn’t hurt. 

Lex pushed the entrance, once he found it. He was treated to the sight and smell of flowers. Roses. They were in various mismatched vases around the bar. That was unusual in such a place. In fact, the roses were awfully familiar. 

It was only late afternoon, but there was already a drunk at the bar. A blond with his head down and a mug in hand. 

Lex realized that he recognized the person behind the bar. He sat down on an empty stool, away from the drunk. Something stuck to the fabric of his pants, Lex could feel it. He sighed. 

“Hello, Isobel.” He greeted the barkeeper. “Do you happen to know where Clark is?”

“Who the hell are you and why do you want to know where he is?” Grumbled the blond, who looked up. His words were slurred. 

Lex ignored him. 

Isobel pretended to be busy with wiping down some mugs. She looked up, disappointed to see that Lex was still there. 

“Hey, I’m talking to you, Baldy!”

Lex had to resist the desire to use his enhanced strength to toss the drunk across the room. He didn’t think Clark would approve of him wrecking the place that employed his friend.

“My name is-” Lex began.

“His name is Lex actually.” Isobel said at the same time. Sure, now all of a sudden she could speak. 

“Like General Alexander?” The blond said suspiciously. 

“That’s always everyone’s first thought but I was named before he ever came into prominence.” Lex repeated the same lines. “And what is your name, if I may have the honor of making your acquaintance?” Lex held out his hand. 

The drunk looked at it as if it were a snake. He slapped Lex’s palm with his own. “My name is…Robin.” 

“Okay, Robin. How do you know Clark?” Lex asked. 

“I ask you first.” Robin said. 

“And I asked you second.” Lex said. He knew Isobel was at least peripherally amused. 

“I asked you…” Robin sighed and covered his eyes with both hands, before lowing them and resting his head on the counter. By his snores, he fell asleep shortly.

Lex turned to Isobel. “These flowers are nice.” He commented, gently touching a blood red petal. “Where did you get them?” 

“Clark gave them to me.”

“Did he now?”

“He did.”

Lex paused. He thought about what he could say that wouldn't be rude or a curse. “May I know who the manager-”

“I own this place.” Isobel interrupted before looking like she immediately regretted what she had just said. 

“You’re young to own a business. But having an entrepreneurial drive never hurt.” Lex said. Well, except for maybe Lionel’s drive, which had resulted in LuthorCorp. “Why Sector 7 though? It’s quite a dangerous neighborhood.”

“Which neighborhood isn’t?” Isobel countered. 

“I could help renovate, even move it to an entirely different neighborhood.”

“And why would I agree to that?”

“If you allow me to invest in the Talon as a part-own-”

“Thank you for the offer.” A saccharine smile. “But I have everything under control.”

Maybe Lex shouldn’t have insulted her neighborhood. 

“L-Isobel I need to talk to you.” Said a familiar voice. A figure walked into the bar and pulled down their red hood. 

“Clark?” said Lex. 

“Lex?” Clark said at the same time. “What are you doing here?” He looked distinctly uncomfortable. 

Lex understood why Clark might be flustered to find Lex in such a shady bar, and one owned by somebody Clark knew on top of that. 

Robin suddenly woke up.

“Clark, you know him?” Robin asked. 

“I am his boyfriend, and I gave him roses. Also, I see that he gave them to someone else.” Lex answered. 

“Lex, I kept the seeds to grow.” Clark said, walking closer. “And there were a lot of roses, I don’t know what’s wrong with sharing some of them? They make the Talon smell nice and look better.”

“Roses aren’t normally supposed to be shared when given from someone to their beloved.” 

“Beloved?” Clark’s ears were turning pink. “But roses are just flowers, like sunflowers.” 

Isobel was looking at the roses around her bar more intently. 

“Roses had a meaning. Did. Still do. When there were more around.” Lex felt his initial hurt slipping away. Clark really didn’t know. 

“You’re not denying he’s your boyfriend?” Robin asked, stricken as he listened to the exchange. “Clark, when did you get a boyfriend?” Robin shouted the question. 

“I’m also his bodyguard.” Lex said. He couldn’t help it. 

“Bodyguard?” Robin echoed. 

“Yes. His body is mine. To guard.” Lex smirked. 

Isobel looked like she was mentally calculating how much property damage she could afford if she decided to use her bar’s furniture as weapons. 

“Lex…” Clark said warningly. He tugged Lex away from the bar stool and away from Robin and Isobel. He looked at Lex, who was had dressed in simple cotton garments for the purpose of wandering Sector 7. “Why is this stuck on your pants?”

Clark pulled off the gum that had been stuck on Lex’s pants, fingers brushing against his bottom. 

“You can keep your hands there.” Lex offered. 

Clark suddenly pulled his hands back, as if burned. He discarded the gum on a napkin.

“I’m here because I was looking for you by the way.” Lex answered. “Looks like I found you.” 

“You did.” Clark said. Even though he had pulled back his hands he was leaning on Lex a bit and Lex didn’t mind. 

“Clark, since you’re busy you don’t need to talk to me.” Isobel said. 

Clark turned to look at her. “But that’s what I came here to do.” He said, his voice filled with hurt. 

“I’m busy.” Isobel said, cleaning an already shiny glass. 

Robin stumbled to his feet. “Clark, you can’t date that…baldy.”

“Oh, really. When did you become my dad?” Clark snapped. “And if you were, you still wouldn’t be able to stop me either. Also, his name is Lex.” 

“What if he’s dangerous?” Robin said. “How much do you know about hi-”

“What if he’s dangerous?” Clark repeated. “What if he’s dangerous?” He repeated, even louder. 

Even Lex flinched.

“I’m staying out of your business.” Clark gave Isobel and Robin a significant look. 

Lex had no idea what it meant. 

“So stay out of mine.” Clark finished. Was that a growl? 

Lex felt a little hot all of a sudden. 

He found himself being dragged outside by Clark. By Clark!

“Mind telling me what all that was about?” Lex asked. 

“Can’t tell you. I just want to get away and be alone.” Clark answered. He tugged his red hood back on. 

“Ah, and here I thought you were taking me out on a date.”

“…where do you want to go.” Clark said, his tone was gentler. His anger gone. Lex missed it. Angry Clark was an interesting new side. But maybe Lex would see that again later. 

“I’m new to this whole dating thing.” Clark admitted. 

“What?” 

“Um, you’re my first boyfriend.”

“Did you have any girlfriends, or other people you’ve dated?”

“You’re the first person and only person I’ve ever dated.”

“Clark…how old are you?” Lex asked cautiously.

“I’m nineteen…” Clark answered slowly. “Hey!” He punched Lex on the shoulder. 

“To be sure. Or I will break things off.” Lex said seriously. “I’m twenty-five.”

“Because of my status…” Clark paused, not saying ‘escaped test subject,’ but Lex knew. “I can’t exactly go out in public with someone all that easily and they’d have to understand my…situation.”

“I understand.” Lex said, moving closer and wrapping an arm around Clark so that his hand held Clark’s. “I’ll do my job and keep you safe.” 

Clark rested against Lex’s side. “It’s my turn to take you somewhere so where do you want to go?” 

“I’d like to see the place you grow your flowers.”

—

They ended up in Sector 5. 

“Welcome to my Fortress of Solitude. It’s my sanctuary. What do you think?” Clark asked, pulling off his hood. 

What a pompous name, Lex thought as he stepped into the barn, even worse than Gold Nation.

But something about the barn was familiar. He looked up. There was a very noticeable hole in the barn roof. Below it was a large bed of sunflowers. An image flashed in his mind’s eye. The same flowerbed but with the flowers crushed. 

“Ugh…” Lex clutched his head. It hurt. 

“Lex, are you okay?” Clark asked worriedly, leading him to rest on a couch at the side of the barn. 

“I’ll be alright.” Lex murmured. “Do what you usually do.” 

Clark didn’t look convinced but he had no chance against Lex’s smooth voice and assuring words. Clark went away when Lex reclined on the couch. 

Lex looked at the hole in the roof again, at the sunlight streaming down. There was once a window there.

Memories began to return slowly. Falling for what felt like ages, pain and the splintering of glass and wood. 

The barn was familiar because Lex had been here before. He had been on break from dealing with Xanthu but his father still tasked him with recapturing a failed SOLDIER candidate. The man's body had been strong enough but his mind cracked. Whatever the process was, he couldn’t take it and the result of succumbing, like usual, was a tendency toward homicide. 

The escapee had launched a surprise attack at Lex, and Lex had fallen through a section of unfinished solar plate and into the slums below. He had never wished as much as he did that time for the ability to fly. 

The fall didn’t kill Lex. His body was too enhanced from krypton treatments for that, but it had hurt. The hole in the Fortress of Solitude was because of him… The sunlight still shone through because Lex had ordered that the gap in Sector 5's plate be left unfixed. 

Lex figured he hadn’t remembered until now because after the events he had been given a krypton shower to aid in his healing, his memories must have been scrambled as a result. Of course Clark didn’t recognize him now or even know that soldier had been General Alexander because Lex had been dressed as a grunt. Lex hadn’t been in his regular General gear because it was being repaired and upgraded to be more resistant to the Xanthuians’ spells, along with Kopis. Instead he had worn a standard soldier helmet and suit that day, his face hidden under the helmet. Lex's voice being hoarse from the fall was probably why Clark didn't recognize it now. 

“Clark?” Lex said, rising from the couch somewhat.

“Yes, Lex?” Clark said. He was standing by the an open plot of earth, having just finished planting a few rose seeds. There were scattered tools by his side. 

“Can you tell me how there came to be a hole in the roof of your Fortress?” 

“Hmm. It’s a long story but I can try.”

“I’d be happy to listen.”

“I was trying to fix the Fortress door when I heard a crash behind...and above?” Clark had his gloveless hands in the earth, tracing shapes and forming grooves. “I turn around there’s a hole in my roof and there’s some guy in a LuthorCorp soldier uniform sprawled out on my sunflowers.” 

"I was kind of scared because you know, LuthorCorp soldier. Well you're an employee but, uh, he was injured so I was kind of scared for him too and…” Clark paused. “I can’t believe I said that.” Clark said, as if to himself.

“Said what?” Lex had caught the words. 

“Huh?” Clark said, realizing Lex had heard. He tugged his hood, which was code for ‘I’m going to attempt to hide my blush.’ “Um, I was fourteen okay? But I said ‘did it hurt…’ ” 

“…when you fell from heaven.” Lex finished. He remembered. Lex was certain he didn't die because everything had hurt. He had been surprised because he had fallen through a ceiling to land on a whole bed of flowers. In Metropolis. Surrounded by gold, he even briefly believed in Heaven when he had opened his eyes to see the sunflowers’ caretaker. “The oldest line to the book.” Lex added. 

“Yeah.” Clark said sheepishly. 

“Shouldn’t you have checked to see if he was alright or even alive first before inflicting terrible pick-up lines on a person who just fell through your roof?”

“But his au-” Clark paused. He grunted and slammed a fist against his thigh. 

“Clark?” Lex was surprised by Clark’s sudden self-inflicted punch.

“I just knew…that he was okay, okay? I used Cure.”

“Okay. Go on…” Lex wasn’t going to push it. But he was almost certain Clark used a strong Cure spell, not level one. 

“Hey, how do you know I didn’t check first?”

“Well if you had, you would have already told me you did, right?” Lex said quickly. 

“He was fine. My sunflowers weren’t.”

Lex frowned, had Clark really cared more about his sunflowers than him? But Clark had also flirted with him by telling him the worst pick-up line ever. Clark had been fourteen. That meant Lex had been twenty-one. He could feel his headache returning. 

“Lex are you still listening?” Clark asked. He was putting his tools away. 

“I am.”

“I’ll tell you more after I bring out some food. You’re hungry, right?”

Lex blinked. He realized he was. “Yes, I am.”

Clark was pulling up a floorboard, revealing a hidden basket. 

He pulled out a red and white checkered blanket and stood up, unfurling it and laying it onto a clear spot. 

A picnic? How novel. And there was actually greenery. “Need any help?” Lex asked, rising off the couch. 

“Thanks, but since this is the date I picked I should set up things for you.” 

Lex walked over and sat down at where Clark gestured to sit. 

He was taking things out of the basket and setting them down. 

Cucumber sandwiches. Potato salad. Two slices of apple pie. Fruit salad. 

“Sorry that everything is…”

“Vegetarian. That’s fine.” Lex said. Everything looked delicious. 

Clark pulled out one more item from the under the floor. 

“Wine?” 

“They’re grapes.” Clark mumbled. Pulling out two clean glasses as well. They looked alot like the mugs at the Talon. 

“I expected lemonade.”

“I have some of that too.” Clark said, “If you want it.” Sure enough, he pulled out a small covered pitcher. 

“I just thought at our dinner date you didn’t seem too interested in the wine.”

“I was afraid if I drank the wine I wouldn’t stop, and end up embarrassing myself on the very first date.”

Lex privately thought if Clark didn’t want that he wouldn’t have shown up in the suit he did but Lex didn’t voice this. 

"Thank you for the food." Lex said.

Clark smiled. "All compliments should go to my mom." 

The sun shone down pleasantly. They dug in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Robin (Hood) is indeed Oliver. Asshole Oliver is fun but his role in this fic will eventually be more sympathetic. Once he makes up for almost assassinating Tess. :T
> 
> More Forgotten First Meetings and Secret Identity! (I’m so self-indulgent lmao)  
> More Lex has wonky memories. But at least he regains these for now. 
> 
> “Plot hole” explanation : But why didn’t Clark see that Lex’s aura was strange then? Because Lex fell onto the sunflowers and Clark had his back turned, so for a brief time Lex’s aura looked normal because of the contact with sunflower auras, enough for Clark not to notice that Lex’s aura was weird. Also seeing the aura meant that Clark knew the fall didn't kill him. 
> 
> SV Role and FFVII Role:  
> Talon - Seventh Heaven  
> Clark’s barn - Aerith’s church  
> Metahumans of the week who kill people - SOLDIER aka super soldier candidates who for body, mind, bad luck reasons fail the process and are dangerous  
> Lex Luthor - Sephiroth & Zack Fair & Cloud Strife (that’s right he’s all of them at once: the problem, the boyfriend, and the bodyguard)  
> He’s very Zack in this chapter though, and the next.


	8. Invenio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lex and Clark's date continues. Later, Lex inadvertently delays a WATCHTOWER meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd. Likely always will be.  
> This fic is weird to me too. I took Smallville’s furniture, rearranged everything, and poured Final Fantasy VII on it. So there’s the Talon and the barn but everything is sideways.
> 
> Not sure if pleased enough with some scenes mostly because embarrassing to write. Why did I ever think this fic would be just T rated. Chapters 7 and 8 are a fluff and humor fest compared to the two chapters that came before. But there is always an underlying angst current of course. Should I even be allowed to use the fluff and humor tags?

Clark had continued to talk once they had settled down into a comfortable eating position. 

“He was surprised about the sunflowers and said there weren’t much flowers at all generally, in Metropolis.” Clark said.

Lex remembered what he had suggested. 

“And that flowers would be a luxury item in Metropolis and how I should sell them if I wasn’t already. Before it didn’t occur to me. I just grew them because I like sunflowers. They grow toward the sun.” 

Lex recalled that the homicidal ex-SOLDIER candidate had shown up. “What happened next?” Lex asked, curious to hear about how much Clark would omit or lie about. Which wasn’t really fair. Clark didn’t know the soldier had been him. The potato salad was very good. Well-seasoned and fresh. 

“Someone showed up to finish the soldier off.” Clark said softly. 

“Oh?”

“I couldn’t let that person die, even if he was a LuthorCorp soldier.”

Lex cleared his throat.

“I know. I know. But you’re different.”

Am I? Lex thought. He felt guilty; keeping his identity from Clark, but he crushed the feeling. “A LuthorCorp soldier...but you still flirted with him?”

“Somebody crashes through your roof. They survive. That’s a perfect opportunity to use that line and sometimes you just gotta take it, you know?”

Clark had said it because he couldn’t resist a pun. Lex thought. Clark was just full of surprises. “Did the soldier survive?”

“Yes.”

Lex remembered that Clark had defended him, told the failed SOLDIER…

“I said I didn’t want blood on my sunflowers.” Clark said, taking a sip of red wine. 

The damned sunflowers again. Lex kind of wanted to walked over and kick the stalks down but Clark wouldn’t appreciate it. As it was Lex already ruined a bunch of them. On his first and second meeting with Clark. Lex was a certified sunflower killer.

“Lots of them already got crushed by the Angel anyway.” 

“The Angel?” Lex was startled. “Is that what you’re calling the LuthorCorp soldier now?”

“He never told me his name.” Clark grumbled. He was eating his slice of apple pie before the salad. 

He didn’t so it would be easier to let you go. Lex thought. He had wanted Clark out of the way actually, because Clark was a squishy human. Lex let out an exasperated sigh, remembering that just the night before the last Clark had stood in front of him while a soldier had a gun pointed. So this was a regular thing for him. 

“Lex, are you really fine?” Clark had heard Lex's sigh. 

“I’m fine. Keep on telling me what happened.”

But Clark hadn’t been as squishy as Lex had thought because the failed SOLDIER had found his legs iced to the floor. At the time he had thought Mercy used an Ice materia because she had shown up, kicking open the Fortress’ door. But Clark had been closer and was, Lex now knew, a capable materia user. Of course Clark had gotten Lex only but a few steps away before the escapee had shaken off the ice as easily as ripping paper. 

But Mercy had her materia equipped tranquilizer gun ready and Clark had continued carrying Lex away while she subdued the escaped target. Right now, Clark was downplaying his role while keeping the focus on Mercy as he told the tale. 

While moving Lex to safety Clark had lost something extremely important to him. He had been hysterical, whispering “Where is it?” in a panic that was scarier than if he had been shouting. 

It was as if he had lost the world. 

“…I got him out of the way but when we were moving I lost the only thing I had from my birth parents.” Clark said, clutching his glass tightly. 

“I hope you found it.” Lex said, even as he knew Clark did recover it. At that time, Lex had thought Clark was an orphan. At yesterday's dinner date, Clark had said his mother had rescued him from the labs, and that his pa had given him the suit Clark had worn, so now he assumed Clark had adoptive parents. Lex remembered he had offered to help search since Clark had lost it saving him but Clark had rejected his help, insisting on looking alone. In the end Mercy had found it where it had fallen through a loose floorboard. Lex wasn’t sure what the “it" in question was because he didn’t see it clearly before Clark had stowed it away, looking much more relaxed as he did so. But he had still cried so much his tears were like an unending stream and Lex had looked away because it felt wrong to witness such intense and vulnerable emotion. 

“I did.”

“What did you lose again?” Lex asked. 

“It was…a heirloom. A materia…that does nothing.” Clark suspiciously sounded close to crying again. 

Lex looked around for napkins and found them. A materia that did nothing? That was an odd statement. “But it had great sentimental value?” Lex asked instead. 

“Yeah.” His eyes were shiny. 

“I have another question.” Lex said as he offered a napkin.

“Sure, ask.” Clark said as he accepted the napkin with thanks. He began to pick out his favorite fruits from the fruit salad while presumably leaving out the ones he didn't like behind.

“You’re an escaped test subject so why didn’t the soldier capture you along with the guy who was trying to kill him?” 

Clark’s flinch was visible. 

“I asked him if he was going to catch me too…”

“You asked him instead of…running?”

“They were the ones breaking into my Fortress uninvited. Why do I have to be the one to leave?”

Clark’s logic was astounding. 

“He said he completed his assignment and since I helped him we were even. Live and let live?”

“I think that’s how the saying goes, yes.” The apple pie was well-baked and not overly sweet like Lex thought it might be. It went well with the crisp lemonade.

“I asked him if he wanted to know my name but he said …” Clark put his hands on his hips. “ ‘If I know your name I can’t pretend anymore. I’d have to catch you, understand’? or something like that.”

Lex couldn’t help it. He laughed. That was a pretty good imitation. 

“I don’t think me almost getting captured is funny, Lex.”

“It isn’t. But you have guts asking more questions when you should have been fleeing.” 

“He told me to sell flowers so that I might see him on some later day in Metropolis.”

"I haven't seen him again." Clark said. "But I know he's alive and out there somewhere."

"How can you be so sure of his among the living status?" Lex said. "He could be somewhere unburied in Xanthu for all you know." Lex said, knowing perfectly well Clark was right. 

"I'm sure." Clark said with certainty but not explaining why at all. He began to describe the various flowers he grew and sold over the years. 

Lex remembered other things. Clark had given Mercy some letters. He must have thought he had been subtle but Lex had noticed. 

Lex had wondered if it was bribe money? But that didn’t make sense because Virtues couldn’t be corrupted like that and he doubted Clark had any real funds then. He had guessed love notes because the boy - Clark, might have seen Mercy before and developed a crush. Lex had said “love notes” out loud and Mercy had denied that they were for her. She also said she had tried to convince Clark to join LuthorCorp voluntarily but he had rejected the offer. Now that Lex remembered he had to wonder, what was Mercy’s full connection to Clark? Mercy had said Clark saved her life, and that of Hope's. Now Lex could believe it because he remembered Clark saved his. At that time Lex had left the Fortress and never returned, until now. He had convinced himself he did not care about a stray experiment and that he had a war to fight. And focused on the most pressing issue then, reporting on his capture of the failed SOLDIER hopeful. Thinking about it now, the mystery made him itch. Who was the true recipient of so many letters from Clark? Whoever it was had met Clark before Lex and must have made an impression.

“You stopped listening.” Clark pouted upon noticing Lex's distant expression. “Usually, for a date to work both people involved have to be present.” 

Lex realized Clark had throw his words right back at him. 

“What can we do together?” Lex said suggestively. 

“Hmm.” This was the last thing Clark said before he rolled onto Lex, cupped his face, and kissed him. It was slow and lazy, the taste distinctly fruity - and the floor was too rough even with the picnic blanket.

"How about we move to the couch?" Lex said and Clark was already guiding them there. 

Lex was the one who landed with his back against the couch. Lex reached under Clark’s cloak. He wanted to tug it off and other things besides but Clark hadn’t gone for his clothes yet so he wouldn’t do it unless Clark did first.

Clark’s hands, plural, were under his shirt. 

Lex explored the planes of Clark’s back, felt the dip of his spine. 

Clark pulled away suddenly, and Lex groaned at the loss of pressure. “Is your headache really gone?”

“It’s gone but it might return if you stop touching me.” 

Clark rolled his eyes but his cloak slipped off. Finally.

Lex pulled Clark close again. 

“Lex…” Clark murmured. 

Lex loved how Clark said his name. He thought about the person in his arms, who was someone he had met before, a person he now had a second chance to know. Lex almost believed in miracles. Clark was solid and Lex could feel the beat of his pulse where Lex had his lips on his throat. Lex was going to test how sensitive Clark’s neck was, and his ears. 

Clark’s skin was soft, and his jeans rough, and the pressure was so good and Lex gave as good as he got and more - he only meant to flip them over but he had ended up rolling them off the couch. 

Lex bumped his head on the floor. “Ow.”

“I think we should stop and you should get your head checked.” 

“I’m fine.”

Clark shook his head and self-consciously began to re-button his shirt. “I have to go because I feel kind of bad for leaving without telling Isobel where I was going.”

“Who is she, your keeper?” Lex asked, and yes he was feeling miffed that fresh off...being entangled with him, Clark had brought up Isobel. 

“No…she’s my friend and I shouldn’t make her worry.” Clark paused. “Oh, and I should give you the present I had prepared.”

“A present?”

“Yeah, I can’t just keep on giving you sunflowers.” Clark put back on his discarded cloak and pulled out something that was inside. “Here.” He placed something in Lex’s hands. 

“This is…” Lex stared. “…a naturally formed Full Cure materia.” Lex could tell. Materia were like pearls. Artificially made materia were perfectly round, but this materia was a squat pear shape. 

“Yup.”

A whole load of questions appeared in Lex’s mind. Do you have an idea how rare naturally formed materia are? Especially this kind? How valuable it is? And that even artificially formed Full Cure materia were rare and hard to make? Where did you find it? But what he said was, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Clark…” Lex began. He removed the eight maxed materia he had equipped in his antique watch. “Hold out your hands.”

Clark obeyed. 

Lex unceremoniously dumped the materia onto his hands. 

“Huh? But aren’t these all-”

“Maxed? Yes.” Lex looked at Clark levelly. “I’ll be honest with you Clark. I agreed to be your bodyguard, which has worked out for me and I am very glad I accepted…” Clark was blushing so that his cheeks matched the red mark left on his neck by Lex. “…but I cannot be there for you always because I have other commitments.”

Clark nodded. “You’re a LuthorCorp employee.”

“I am. I’m giving you these materia. My understanding it that you are capable of using them so even if I am not present you can use my materia to defend yourself.” 

“Okay.” Clark said, hiding away the materia in whatever secret pockets he had on the inside of his cloak.

When Clark’s hands were out again Lex gave him eight more materia. More reluctantly this time, Clark put them away. 

“Also, here.” Lex held out a ticket to Clark.

“More materia?” Clark asked warily before raising his head and realizing what it was. 

“A date. It’s my turn take you somewhere. Tomorrow night at Sector 8’s theater to see LOVELESS. Will you be able to make it?” Lex had planned to see it with Tess, a private booth so she could dress how she wanted and be relaxed but Tess had said she was going to be busy putting the finishing touches on her robot, Cait Sith. She had spent more than a decade working on it and it was nearly complete. He wondered what he could give her as a congratulations. A small witch hat for the completed robot to wear maybe. 

Clark still hadn’t responded. 

“Clark? It’s okay if you can’t go. It's sudden, and soon for another date.” 

“…You took me to dinner…and next you’re taking me to see a play. I brought you to my barn…where we didn’t even do any proper gardening together. I didn’t even show you around. I fed you salad.” Clark groaned. 

“It wasn’t that bad. The food was good.” Lex laughed. “And I like your couch.”

Clark lowered his head even more. “Yes, I can see LOVELESS with you.” 

“Good, it’s agreed then. I’ll take you back before Isobel decides to poison my drink the next time I go to the Talon and actually order one.” Lex said. 

“W-Why would you go back to the Talon?” Clark’s head suddenly snapped back up. His eyes were wide, his pupils still blown; his hair deliciously disheveled. He was biting his lip again. It was red because earlier Lex had done some of the biting too. 

“Because that’s the only place I’m certain I’d find you?”

“Uh-uh, um.”

“Is something the matter?”

“For LOVELESS can you just pick me up at my parents’ place?”

“Sure, if you tell me where your parents live.”

“Oh. I never told you.”

“You didn’t.”

“Okay.” Clark said. He gave Lex the address.

"Also, Clark? I haven't been exactly honest with you."

Clark looked confused, and upset, then guilty, in that order. 

Guilty? "My full name is Stephen Alexander Swift. But I'd like you to continue to call me Lex."

"Oh. I didn't tell you my last name yet, did I? It's Kent." 

“I see.” Lex stood up. “Let’s go.” 

—

This exchange was happening. Right in front of him. Lex was in disbelief. 

Clark’s cloak must have fluttered as they walked into the Talon. Isobel had said she saw something shiny and wanted Clark to show her. 

That was why Clark was giving Isobel the materia Lex had given him not even an hour ago. 

“Shiny shiny baubles.” Isobel sang gleefully while holding Lex’s yellow Support type Double Cut, Slash All, Throw, and Deathblow materia. “No take backs.” She added. 

The Support materia had gotten into the mix too when Lex gave Clark his materia. Thinking about it now Clark probably couldn’t use those materia because of his lack of weapons. 

Isobel suddenly set one of the materia down on a stack of Talon receipts. 

Was she using his Deathblow materia as a paperweight? A paperweight. Those had been his personal materia that he had traveled with for years, used for ages, and kept on his person as if they were a part of him. He remembered at what battles he maxed each one. And Clark just gave them away because someone asked? To an ignorant bartender who probably wouldn’t know what to do with a Gravity materia or tell the difference between a Leviathan summon and an Ice materia. Hell, she probably hadn’t seen or held any beyond fire, ice, lightning and restore. Until now. 

Lex gave Clark a look. It was not a happy look. 

“You gave them to me…so I thought I could do what I wanted with them? I thought she just wanted to take a look?” Clark said hesitantly. “…I did it again, didn’t I?”

“You did.” 

“Sorry…it’s like a habit. I shared things with Isobel alot because we grew up together...”

Lex understood. He had a sibling; but this was too much. Lex addressed Isobel. “Do you even know what you’re holding?” He asked. 

“These are very pretty.” Isobel said. The words she was stringing together were as if she was too drunk to say anything more complicated but Lex knew for a fact she wasn’t drunk. Materia were pretty but that wasn’t the point of them. She was holding two purple-pink Independent type materia, Counter Attack and Long Range Attack. Those had been Lex’s favorites. Apparently they were now her favorites. 

Lex wondered how bad it would look if he stole back his materia from her. That is, took Clark’s materia back from her. 

Lex sighed. “Clark, you can do whatever you want with my materia. Keep it, give it away. Use it, don’t use it. They are yours and you can use the materia however you see fit.” Lex looked around and spotted a pool table. “You could use my materia in place of pool balls if you wanted to, but I hope you won’t.”

“I have to close the bar.” Isobel said suddenly. 

“It’s a little too early in the night for a bar to close isn’t it?” Lex asked. If this was how Isobel was running things, it was a miracle the Talon was still in business. 

“As you said, this is a dangerous neighborhood. I close the bar when I want to.” She was smiling, but was looking at Lex as if he were a particularly nasty bug she wanted to squash. 

Isobel wanted Lex to leave so soon? Well if that was the case…

“Clark, see that pool table in the corner? Let’s play a round. If you don’t know how to, it’s alright. I’ll teach you.” 

“Lex, we really shouldn’t play pool here.” Clark said nervously. 

“There’s a pool table so shouldn’t pool be played?”

“Lex…”

“Just one round, Clark.” 

“Okay…” Clark gave Isobel an apologetic look while she looked ready to burn the place down with everyone in it. And with her new materia she could have if she wanted and knew how to. 

“But just one round.” Clark repeated. 

Lex nodded. 

Because Lex was a kind, gracious person (he’s not still annoyed about the materia, not at all), Lex left after one round. 

“Clark, I won’t forget this.” Lex said once they were outside. “We need to have another match because you lost on purpose!”

“No. I tried my best.” Clark said unconvincingly. 

“You’re bad at lying.” Lex sighed as he leaned in and kissed Clark on the cheek. “Good night.”

“Good night.” Clark said in turn. He slowly released Lex’s hand. 

“Do you need help getting home?”

“No, someone else has it covered.” Clark said. 

“Alright.” Lex said. As he walked away he thought he heard “So. Who was that, flower boy?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that was Lois so all of WATCHTOWER is going to know Clark and Lex are dating if Oliver didn't already say something. 
> 
> More "plothole" explanations (I think about my own plotholes too much): Fine couldn't get blood samples because it was the residual magic from when Clark was encased in crystal. But it's gone now so Clark can get bruised. :P
> 
> Why can Clark and Lex makeout without ""something"" happening?: Assume 1) It's dormant, or 2) Clark carries around Holy and that's enough to protect him and/or 3) Clark isn't normal even for a Kryptonian so he has certain protections in place. If Lex is a weapon, Clark is one too, 2000 years in the making. (Unfriendly reminder that their destiny is to destroy each other and it concerns the saving or ending of the world :) 
> 
> Notes on Materia:  
> Materia will continue to feature often in this fic so to recap materia are round crystals (Lifestream knowledge) that people activate with their ~mind waves~ and too much use means exhaustion. 
> 
> How do you put materia, something the size of a marble(?) in a watch, and 8 of them? Sure a sword makes sense but a watch or a bangle? (shh game mechanics roll with it and suspend disbelief) 
> 
> Double Cut, Slash All, Throw, Deathblow are rare Support materia and do exactly what it sounds like they do if you equip it to a weapon such as a sword. Deathblow adds random element damage and is a critical attack but has low accuracy.  
> Lana is Yuffie so no materia is safe from her hands.  
> Clark is actually low-key a pool shark because he has to stay inside alot :(


	9. Prandium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Over lunch, Lex meets Clark's parents, the Kents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It turns out I can't do LOVELESS yet, instead this sprung out. I will write it next chapter unless this fic runs away from me again and getting fitted for a tux turns into another chapter.
> 
> I’m pretty much going to accept that they’ll be a lot of small additions and plot hole filling as I go along. 8T 
> 
> Sorry @ people here from the beginning, especially SINslayer7. I keep editing older chapters. 
> 
> But basically I added some very important foreshadowing lines to Chapter 5 because I have to at least hint at the existence of the paired materia to Holy. I’ve been so sloppy:  
>   
>  **"Is there something else besides Holy...that can do something?" Clark asked. About the Calamity so Clark didn't have to. Clark was aware of having a destiny but he feared it and its burden.**
> 
>  **Only Jor-El answered, sounding pained. "There was...but you cannot let it happen." There was no further elaboration.**  
>  Also, I made this edit to Chapter 5, when Clark’s Kryptonian parents were telling him about the Lifestream because there’s no way Kryptonians only had one name for it:  
>   
>  **Kryptonians had many names for the Lifestream, countless ones, some of which Clark could no longer recall. The Ocean of Souls. Rao's Well. All Nature. All Creation. The 10,000 Songs (the memories of the different plants and creatures in the Lifestream). The First and Final Garden. Promised Land. All-blessing, all-covering, far-traveling, ever-flowing...**  
>  The Lifestream is Important. Krypton Reactors are Bad. I’m going to continue pounding that into your minds. 
> 
> Now, yay, it’s time for Jonathan’s anti-Luthor bias.
> 
> Unbeta'd.

The Kent’s place was at the very outer edges of Sector 7. It was hidden out of the way and hard to find enough that Lex wouldn’t know if not for Clark’s clear instructions. 

Lex showed up before noon because he had to take Clark to a tailor to get fitted for a suit. One that would look good and fit well for their date. 

He expected to go up to a door and knock but the door was already open and two people were outside. Clark was settled by a patch of green beans and by him a gray-haired man was adjusting the poles that helped hold the plants up. 

“Lex, hi!” Clark looked up at Lex once he had walked out and closed the door to his red sports car. It ran on oil, not krypton energy. He didn’t want Clark to be uncomfortable again. And Clark wasn’t but someone else was. The third man present. He stood up and looked at Lex with a suspicious curiosity. It was probably Clark’s father, Lex thought. 

“Hello, Clark.” Lex returned the greeting. 

“Clark, I don’t believe you have introduced us yet, this is…?” asked the man. 

“My name is Stephen Alexander Swift but you can just call me Lex as a shortened form of my middle name.” Lex said. He held out his hand. 

The man reluctantly took it. “My name’s Jonathan Kent.” Jonathan said. “You’re too old to be named after that gladius-welding maniac. Too many damn people hero-worshiping and naming their kids after him when he isn’t even a hero.”

“Dad! Lex can’t help sharing a name with that person.” Clark said. 

There was a measure of fear and disgust in Clark’s voice when he said “that person,” it looked like his sentiments about General Alexander matched his father’s. 

Lex resisted the frown that wanted to appear on his face. Not in front of the Kents. 

“Real heroes would be putting down the reactors and doing work to restore the earth.” Jonathan said. “Not taking over territory to make more of them.”

Lex had to stop his sneer too. By that logic Jonathan would probably consider WATCHTOWER heroes. It appeared Clark allowed his opinions to be influenced too much by his father. 

Lex had to know.

“You would consider terrorists like WATCHTOWER to be heroes then?” Lex asked. 

Clark looked upset. He probably did not expect such conversations to be the first thing Lex talked about with his father.

“I do.” Jonathan said. “Good riddance to Reactor 1, I say.”

Clark opened his mouth to speak but a voice called him from inside the house. 

“Clark?”

“Go help your mother, son.” Jonathan said. 

Clark looked reluctant, and probably unsure if Lex would start fighting with his parent if he left them alone. Lex was uncertain too. 

Clark left. 

“And what of the people who lost power?” Lex asked once Clark was gone. 

“They’re not used to it but those of us who work and live in the slums are use to frequent blackouts.” Jonathan answered. 

Lex recalled that the blackout that hit the upper levels resulted in heavy economic damage, due to the lost productivity. Blackouts in the slums were a regular occurrence but above, not so. There had to be an emergency shareholders meeting. It had been filled with tension, disgruntlement and a demand that LuthorCorp restore stakeholder confidence. 

Jonathan was now talking about how he wished that the reactor would never return online. 

Whoever had made the bomb knew what they were doing, or planted it in just the right place. Lex loosened the hand that had tightened into a ball. Of course, since Tess was backing WATCHTOWER. What did that make Tess, their collaborator? 

“WATCHTOWER is made of scum and bullies - no better than the mobs and gangs that control the territory under the plates.” Lex said. There. Tess wasn’t a member she was something else, she was using them for her own ends and not an actual part of it. Lex knew Lionel could do something about the mafia that ran the slums if he wanted to but he didn’t. There were agreements with the underworld. Lex knew there was some collaboration involved such as assistance in shipping weapons around. 

As expected, Jonathan had a strong reaction to Lex’s statement. “WATCHTOWER is the one doing something to save this Planet instead of allowing those abominations to drain the health out of the land!” He said, gripping a shovel. If Lex wasn’t careful it wasn’t too much to think Jonathan might attempt to bury him with it. Now imagine if Jonathan was aware of who Lex really was. 

“I don’t have to justify anything to you.” Jonathan said, focused on Lex’s clothes. “You’re not from around here.” He looked beyond and at the car Lex had parked not far away. A strategic misstep. Lex’s vanity got him in trouble. At least the car didn’t run on krypton energy. 

Jonathan looked increasingly angry. “You’re associated with LuthorCorp somehow. With what you have, either you work for the company or own stock - get the hell away from my house and out of my sight!”

Lex sighed and wait for the shovel to raise. Dodging would be child’s play. What was he here for? To get Clark fitted for a tuxedo, right. And Lex was suppose to attempt to make a good impression on his parents while he was here. So much for that.

“Dad!” Clark shouted. “It’s time for lunch. Mom said to invite Lex in too. Go clean your hands.” 

Lex watched as Clark took Jonathan’s shovel. 

“No, he’s going to be leaving. Right now.” Jonathan grit out. 

“But he came to see me.” Clark answered.

“How exactly do you know him?” Jonathan asked. 

“He’s my bodyguard.” Clark answered. 

“Your what?” Jonathan said. 

Lex watched this conversation with amusement and trepidation. 

“My bodyguard.” Clark repeated. “He’s suppose to be around me so he can protect me from stuff. There’s been more soldiers lately, dad. I took some steps so you and mom can worry less…”

“Clark…” Jonathan’s anger had dissipated. Now his voice held worry for his son. “I can understand what you’re doing but…how is he getting paid?” Jonathan look suspiciously at Lex’s clothing. Or maybe just at Lex.

Shit. There it was. 

“He agreed to work for me because…” Clark began. “…I saved his life.” 

Lex bit back a smile. Because Clark had years ago but he didn’t know that Lex had been the soldier and now Clark had the nervous look of a liar. He thought he was lying. And such a lie was better than the truth. That Clark had a bodyguard because in a way he was using his body because he was dating Lex in return for his protection. Lex couldn’t ever think too long about the implications of the situation - unless he was alone to imagine scenarios he couldn't act out yet. 

Jonathan looked convinced by Clark’s words though. “You used a cure materia, right Clark?” Jonathan said, stressing materia oddly. 

“I did.” Clark huffed. 

“You fast enough to take bullets, Mr. Swift?” Jonathan asked Lex. It sounded like any respect he could possibly have for Lex hinged on the answer. 

“If I was aware and could make it in time, yes.” Lex answered honestly. 

Clark made distressed sound. 

“Hmph.” Jonathan said. “You might not be use to not having a salary compared to what your previous charges might have paid you.” He was glaring at Lex’s car again. “But life is more precious than wealth.” 

Lex nodded, thinking that Lionel would have disagreed as he did so. 

It was like Jonathan was in tune with Lex because he spoke further, “Take a person like Lionel Luthor. Now that’s scum.” He looked at Lex. “A person who hurts the Planet in order to make himself wealthy, and don’t let me get started on LuthorCorp and Xanthu - ”

Lex did not want Jonathan to get started on Xanthu, Or get further on the rants he likely had about Lionel and, or General Alexander.

“Let’s get inside the house and eat lunch, okay?” Clark interrupted. “And not keep mom waiting. She called for you.”

“…Alright.” Jonathan said, thankfully deciding to cut his rant short. He marched toward the house. 

“I wouldn’t have wanted to hear about his other thoughts, like his ones on Te-” Lex caught himself. “ - the Luthor heir, Augustus Luthor.” It was strange referring to Tess like that but it was how the public saw her and she couldn’t change things while Lionel was alive. Lex would have to bear with it and there was no way how he felt about it could compare to the hundreds of cuts Tess received every time she looked at the news, or documents, or the plaques at her offices and the LuthorCorp building. 

“Him? I've heard that no one's ever seen him bleed or cry.” Clark said.

Lex as a witness knew it was false on both counts. Interesting route that Tess’ PR team was going for though. Lionel probably had a hand in it. 

“That’s what I hear but I saw him in person…once.” Clark said. 

“You did?” Lex was genuinely curious even as the pronoun usage grated on him. 

“Yeah, he brought a flower and put it in his hair. I didn’t think he’d buy one.”

“Why not?”

“Because I asked for 5,000 gil.”

“You what?” Lex asked. Clark’s flowers were nice but not that nice. 

“I have to scale the price of the flowers depending on the customer.” Clark said. 

Lex laughed. So Clark did have some business sense in regards to his monopoly on flower-selling in Metropolis. And now he knew Tess had brought a flower for that much. 

“Hey! Don’t laugh. If it’s like a mother strolling with children, or a tired construction worker, I charge little or nothing at all. They need something to brighten up their day or make it better.” Clark said. “But if it’s someone like Augustus Luthor…I don’t care if he gets the flower or not.”

“You wouldn’t care if he’s happy or not?”

“Nope.” Clark answered easily. “I still can’t believe he actually brought one or that I was even that close…I nearly had a heart attack when I saw that it was him because what if he knew that I escaped from a LuthorCorp lab? It’s like, everything is going to be his one day and it’ll be less if people keep escaping…Ugh, no. I’m myself. And you are your own person too, Lex. No matter what experiments they do to you.” Clark looked at Lex intently. “Got that?”

“Got it.” Lex said. He had to, faced with Clark’s strong certainty. 

“Will you quit one day? Soon?”

“No. The pay’s too good.” Lex said. “And I cant expect my body-guarding salary to be as much.”

Clark sighed guiltily. 

“But it’s better than my regular job.” Lex smiled. 

“Maybe I should try to sell him more flowers…”

“No, Clark. Don’t.” Lex said. Because he would freak out if Tess actually does get Clark captured. 

“I was joking.” Clark said. “My poor heart might not survive.” Clark said like he was an octogenarian instead of nineteen. “And 5,000 was alot, I wondered if he thought he was buying something else.”

Something else? But there was just Clark and his flowers… 

“Clark!” Lex shouted once he made the connection. He had Clark gripped by the shoulders.

“Shh. There wasn’t any interest.” Clark laughed impishly at Lex’s reaction. “He had a cold expression…it didn’t match his red hair. But he had a small smile after he was holding the flower.” 

“I thought you said you didn’t care if he’s happy or not.”

“I don’t, but I care if my flowers can make people happy.” 

“Get inside for lunch, you two!” Jonathan said from the door. He looked suspiciously at Lex, who was still holding Clark by the shoulders. 

Lex released Clark and walked inside. Clark followed him. 

There, Lex introduced himself to Clark’s mother, who introduced herself as Martha.

Lex observed the food on the table. There was corn on the cob, macaroni and cheese, green bean salad and surprisingly, a pot roast. 

Clark noticed Lex’s lingering look. “Not everyone’s a vegetarian.” He said as he began to make a peanut butter and banana sandwich with the supplies set out for him. 

Jonathan returned and sat down. Now that they were all seated Lex waited for someone else to make the first move toward the food. Then Lex would join in too. But instead Clark spoke. 

“Thank you Planet for the life you nurture and sustain, the reason for what is on our plates.”

His parents both nodded solemnly. 

Lex stared. 

Fortunately, they didn’t notice as they began to gather food and eat. Lex followed after he got over his confusion over what had happened. Lex ate and pondered. Yes, it kind of made sense for them to do that but did they do that before every meal? Clark didn’t do so during their picnic…but he might have said something under his breath or in his mind. Did they thank the reactors every time they flipped open a light switch? No, they probably credited the Lifestream. 

Lex complimented Martha on the corn. The butter and cinnamon on it actually made for a good combination. 

“Why thank you, Lex.” Martha smiled. “I’m glad you like it. Be sure to eat well before you take Clark somewhere…where did you want to take him again?”

Lex paused between a forkful of macaroni. Looks like Martha Kent was not to be messed with. 

“I have to get Clark fitted for a suit, so he’ll have the proper attire for seeing the production of LOVELESS they have going on at Sector 8’s theater.” Lex answered. 

“A suit?” Jonathan asked, setting down his tea. 

“I had savings, from selling flowers.” Clark said. “And I want to see the play so Lex is coming along, since he’s my bodyguard.”

“Just the two of you?” Martha said. “It sounds like a date.”

“It is. Because he’s also my boyfriend.” Clark said. 

Jonathan coughed his last mouthful of tea. 

Lex tried to swallow his mouthful of pot roast so he could speak. 

“That’s good, Clark. I know it’s hard for you to date anyone.” Martha said. “You trust him with your life since he’s your bodyguard, right?”

Lex shivered because there had to be a unsaid “he’s useful” somewhere. 

“Yeah.” Clark answered. 

“Out there you didn’t mention he was your boyfriend!” Jonathan said, standing up. 

“You wouldn't have let him into the house.” Clark said. “But it’s too late now. He sat down at the table and ate with us. So there.”

“He can leave when he’s done eating.” Jonathan said. 

“I want to be normal and dating Lex makes me feel that.” Clark said, standing up too. “I want to do things like people do! I want this one thing. I want him.” 

Jonathan was speechless, for now at least. Martha had stood up too and returned with apple pie. She placed a hand on his shoulder, urging him to sit down. He did. 

There’s four slices of apple pie but Lex thought they weren’t expecting him. Martha was about to set down two pieces by Clark but ended up putting one down by Lex instead. That explained it. 

Jonathan bit into his pie, not arguing further and muttering something that sounded like "Kid grew up too fast." 

Lex returned his slice to Clark. Lex didn’t have an appetite for food anymore. But he did for other things, since Clark had said something as clear as “I want him”. 

“Are you sure, Lex?” Clark said, sitting down and staring at the pie. 

“I’m sure.” Lex said. Sure about Clark as Clark was about him. I want you too. Lex thought. 

Lex offered to do the dishes and so did Clark but Martha was shooing them off. 

“Get Clark fitted and bring him home safe.” Martha said. “That’s what you can do. And get him to the play and back too.” 

“I will, Mrs. Kent.” Lex promised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t leave stuff well enough alone and I’m messy so I’ll have to re-edit this fic at some point, probably after I’ve completed it. I just want it out and to exist so my mind can be at peace tbh because I keep on thinking about the 2nd and possibly 3rd major fic in this series (I'm talking over 50,000 word epic length fics) when I’m only on Arc 1 of the 1st major fic. 
> 
> As it is I might not think as much about certain stuff and will have to except I have 100 plotholes and obvious favorite characters who will get more time to shine than others. 
> 
> This is a big project and the tags are only going to get even more cluttered because I have a list of SV stuff I wanna write/shit I love and this series is will cover many dozen. (Some stuff I already wrote or am writing: picnic Clex, dinner date Clex, epic destiny on opposite sides Clex, bodyguard Lex, virgin Clark, nonbeliever Lex, Clark hitting on Lex badly, angel Lex, Lex and Clark saving each other, and soon will be “seeing a play together” Clex etc) Basically if there's a trope I want to indulge in, it will happen.
> 
> Comments are loved.


	10. Congruus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fittings take place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was joking about making the tailor part an entire chapter but this just happened? Idk what happened I thought I would have a regular scene but I started thinking about mirrors and I went down a bad pun trail and it ended up being really dirty because my mind fell into the gutters. I changed the rating to explicit. :T 
> 
> Chapter warnings: sex described in a fantasy using some second person (you) pov

Clark was more relaxed in a car powered by oil. Lex would have been tempted to try things but he was the one driving, albeit slower than he usually did since Jonathan had watched the two of them enter Lex’s car and he didn’t stop watching until Lex was out of sight. Maybe Lex could have pulled over but he needed to make sure there was enough time to get Clark a good tuxedo. 

“Lex, I’m actually not sure about the expenses of a tailor and a suit.” Clark said, adjusting the glasses he didn’t need nervously. He had insisted on using part of his "disguise" again.

“The tuxedo won’t be too much. There’s no time for a full custom job but there’s time to get an existing suit and have it be altered where necessary.” 

“I want to pay for it myself.”

“Can’t it be considered a work expense for me?” Lex said. “I’m the one who gave you a ticket to a show that has such a dress code.” 

“Depends. We could split it.”

“What are your current resources?”

“Usually, I have an amount set aside to help someone with rent but I guess I don’t have to…anymore. So I can do whatever with it.”

“Is the someone Isobel?”

“…How did you know?”

“She runs her bar at atrocious hours. If you’re her partner and have some kind of stake in the Talon then that isn’t too bad because at least one of you has business sense.” Lex said, considering how Clark sold flowers. Isobel was a pretty bartender but attracting customers wasn’t useful if the bar wasn’t open. “Did you make up with her yet?”

“She doesn’t want me to help her anymore. And she doesn’t like you.”

That was an understatement. Lex thought. 

“So she isn’t too happy about me dating you. But it’s none of her business…We’re staying out of each other’s business.” Clark said. He stared out the window. 

Was he brooding?

Lex focused on the road. If he bothered with whatever business was going on he doubted it would help. Especially since he realized he didn’t know much about Isobel at all. Though, he did know she was important enough to Clark that he kept on sharing whatever Lex gave him with her. The roses, the materia. 

Lex gripped the wheel, he almost missed a turn. 

He wished Clark’s relationships with his friends and family were going along fine. Instead, Lex being in Clark’s life seemed to complicate them. Clark complicated his life too. Protecting Clark instead of crating him back to the labs? That had to be some kind of treason even if it was many magnitudes less than what Tess was up to. Though Lex was implicated in that too for knowing and not telling Lionel. 

“Lex?” Clark asked, startled. He had noticed Lex’s driving slip up. 

“We’re here.” Lex said. “Just let me pay for it so you have one less thing to worry about, okay?”

Clark considered. “Okay…” He said eventually. 

Lex exited the car first and took Clark’s hand, leading him out and into the boutique. Lex stayed by Clark’s side, even when the tailor was taking his measurements. Clark had set his glasses down on a nearby table. 

Lex sat on a open seat and watched Clark hold his arms out. To see him at different angles. And he was listening to whatever the tailor called for him to do. Clark was aware of Lex’s eyes roaming over him because he made eye contact before breaking it, his cheeks red. The tailor had finished before Clark could be even more embarrassed if the tailor noticed a change in Clark’s body. 

Measurements secured the tailor excused himself and went off to look through the inventory. 

“Is it that interesting to watch me?” Clark began. 

“Yes. He’s getting several outfits. Do you think we have enough time?” Lex asked. He pressed Clark against a wall mirror, and applied the slightest pressure of his body to Clark’s. “I’m getting you new pants so I hope you won’t mind if something were to happen to the pair you’re wearing.” 

“I don’t know how long but I want - ” Clark rubbed back, gasping. Lex returned the attention. Clark’s eyes weren’t focused on him, he was looking behind Lex. Lex turned around. There was another mirror directly opposite them on the other side of the room like the one Clark was backed up against. The movement had broken how their bodies had been connected. Lex stared because he could see how flushed Clark was, how his head was rested by Lex’s shoulder and how Clark was trying to get Lex to press against him again. 

Lex resumed his former position but leaned closer to whisper in Clark’s ear, his forehead to the cool mirror. “Clark, were you watching us in that mirror behind me? Watching me grind against you?” Lex felt Clark nod, heard him groan. 

Lex kissed Clark’s ear and blew at the moisture he left. “Pay attention to what I’m going to say.”

“I will.” Clark shivered.

“Good. Now imagine.” Lex said. “You’re naked.”

“Yes.” Clark said like he wished that really were the case. 

“I have your back against the mirror. It’s cold at first but you get use to it, and it heats up as your skin does.”

Clark nodded. He’s still seeking what friction he could. His breathing was heavier and Lex could feel his heartbeat through how they were pressed together. 

“It’s because I’m naked too. I’m gripping your hips and you have your legs wrapped around my back, your arms around my neck. I’m fucking you with my bare cock and you’re watching me do it on the mirror behind me.” 

Clark said something under his breath. It sounded like rawr, growl, or graowl? Okay. If Clark wanted to make giant cat sounds that was fine. Lex wasn’t thrown off at all. Mostly. At least Clark sounded really aroused. 

Clark was wrapping his arms around Lex’s neck and struggling with his legs, which he wanted to lift but it interrupted his contact with Lex. He was trying to make the sex position real. 

Lex chuckled and wondered if he could get Clark to finish without touch. He expressed that thought. 

“I think you could do it.” Clark said. 

“I’m going to bind up your legs then.” Lex said, holding up a long scarf. He smiled at the bulge he saw as he knelt. Clark obligingly kept his legs together and easy for Lex to tie. So Lex does. He stood up with a second scarf ready for Clark’s hands. 

“Hands too?” Clark whimpered. 

“Yes, I don’t want you touching yourself when you get desperate.” Lex said. 

Clark offered his hands. 

Lex used the scarf and secured the knots. To be sure that Clark couldn’t lower them, Lex brought down his connected arms so they rested on Lex’s shoulders and circled his neck. He pinned Clark’s lower legs with his own and held down Clark’s hips with his hands. Clark tried to rise, to press himself to Lex again but it doesn’t work because Lex had a strong, krypton energy enhanced grip. Clark made a surprised noise but doesn’t say a word of protest. 

Lex returned his mouth to the shell of Clark’s ear. “Listen to my voice and keep your eyes on the mirror behind me. You’ll have to use your imagination.”

Clark nodded. Lex could feel his head shift as he looked ahead. 

“You like seeing it on the mirror. You like seeing my ass move and knowing that each time it means my cock’s moving inside yours.”

Clark let out a startled breath. Lex could feel his legs attempt to kick but Lex kept them against the mirror. 

“It means I’m thrusting into you and…you’ve never dated anyone before me, but have you ever slept with anyone?”

Clark shook his head. 

“It’s your first time letting someone do this to you.”

“Yes.” 

“It could be said that I’m _deflowering_ you then.” 

“You're so bad.” Clark groaned like it was a good thing. 

“You gave me your other flowers and - ”

“I want you to have that one too. I want to give you - ” Clark tried to thrust; but Lex kept his hips down. 

“I’ve thought of something else.” Lex said. “A change in scenery. No more mirrors.” 

“Lex!” The hands connected to Clark’s tied wrists touched the sensitive skin at the back of Lex’s neck. 

“Because you keep trying to move.” Lex growled. He struggled to control his own reaction to Clark, but he could handle it. Slowing his heart rate, going through mental sequences and techniques that were meant to relax his body before or after a battle. He focused on conveying meaning with his voice. 

The hands stilled. 

“We’re in your Fortress. And your hands and legs aren’t tied because you need to use them.”

“How…the couch?”

“No." 

“There’s a bed.”

“There is?”

“The flowerbed. I hope you’re not too attached to your sunflowers because I’m fucking you on them.” Lex was victimizing Clark’s sunflowers again, albeit in a fantasy. He kissed the side of Clark’s throat, he could feel the thudding pulse underneath. He calmed his own pulse. 

“I don’t mind.” Clark said. Lex mapped his flushed skin. Looks like Clark wanted sex more than he liked his sunflowers. 

"I thought about this, that day you invited me in. If you weren't so worried about my headache I wondered what we could have done."

“Serves me right for worrying about you then.” Clark grunted, sounding sarcastic and horny. “Tell me.” 

“There’s no clothes between us. Just sunflowers. And the sunflowers you gave me? I use them to jerk off. I think of you.”

“My poor sunflowers.” Clark laughed. 

“You’re on your hands and knees, on the dirt. Can you smell the soil? Feel it under your fingernails?”

“Yes.” A confident answer. 

“You’re facing the wall opposite the door. You have your legs spread for me, ready and slicked up...on pure sunflower oil. You feel me go into your tight entrance.”

Clark groaned and Lex relieved the pressure he had on his legs but they were tied together and Clark couldn’t open them, though he tried. 

“The sun’s shining down from your roof because you still didn’t fix it.” Lex chuckled. “On you. On us. It wants me to see you lit like that. You’re like the sunflowers, arching toward the sun. And your back arches so well.” 

Clark does want to arch but Lex rubbed his hips warningly, eliciting another moan. 

“You let me in. Your holy place, your sanctuary. The door’s wide open. If anyone walked in - they’d see my cock, going in and out of your previously untapped ass.”

Clark swallowed and Lex licked his Adam’s apple as he did so. 

“What else do they see?” Clark asked.

“That I have your cock in my hand. I’m pumping you because I want you to come.”

“That…I’m close.”

“We’re on your flowerbed. I’m deflowering you and your flowers. It’s also a good spot for me to…plant my seed in your hole. So I do.”

Clark sobbed and shuddered against him and Lex realized that Clark had come. 

“Lex…not many people can get away with puns like that but how you say things, and your voice…I don’t think I can think of gardening the same anymore.” Clark said as Lex released him and began to untie the scarves. 

“And you garden all the time.” Lex grinned. 

There was the sound of approaching footsteps. 

“Um.” Clark looked down at the state he was in. 

“Just stand behind me.” Lex said. “I’m your bodyguard so I’ll cover you.” 

“Okay.” Clark said, embarrassed. 

“It’s fine. After all, I’m responsible.” Lex said.

The tailor returned with a rack of clothing. He began to hold out outfits and describe the design and merits of each. 

Clark stood behind Lex while Lex countered with his own thoughts and asked Clark for his opinions. 

In the end they agreed on a tuxedo with dark lapels that held a pattern of silver stars. There was a simplicity put into the design so that the resulting outfit held elegance instead of feeling overwrought. 

The tailor pointed out a changing room before he mentioned putting back the rejected outfits. 

Before the tailor left, Lex gave the tailor an added instruction. 

Lex waited on the other side of the door as Clark changed. 

Clark emerged in the tuxedo. His old clothes were neatly folded, with the pants at the bottom. He placed them on an empty seat. 

“You look good.” Lex said, standing behind Clark as he looked into a mirror. “Except you need to put on the bow too.” He held up the undone bow Clark had left hanging on his neck. 

“Can you help me with that because I’m not really sure how…”

“Sure.” Lex began to go over the knot. As he worked he looked in the mirror and could see Clark’s red cheeks. “What are you thinking about?”

“That you’re good at tying stuff. And mirrors.” Clark blushed. “What did you tell the tailor?”

“That I wanted to buy a pair of pants and leave with it.” Lex said. “It’s for you.”

“Oh. I’m paying for it then.”

“No, you’re not. I picked an expensive one, better materials, though visually it’ll look like the pants you had.” Lex said. Explaining to Clark’s parents why Clark had different pants than the ones he left the house with sounded worse than battles Lex had experienced. “Consider it a gift. I’d like you to keep at least one thing I give you. It’s only one article so you can’t share it with Isobel…unless you cut it in half or something. Down the middle. One leg for - ”

“I wouldn’t!” Clark protested. “Can you not mention her?”

Hmm. Clark’s mood had dropped again although Lex had worked to improve it. 

"Okay." Lex said. He finished the bow tie. And now that his hands were free he put one on Clark’s back because the suit, while not a perfect fit, fit well enough. He trailed his hand lower and Clark leaned in his touch expectantly. Lex squeezed Clark’s butt. Firm and plush. 

“Lex…” Clark said, a plead for more. 

But abruptly, Lex let go as the tailor returned. 

Lex waited. The tailor took measurements again while Clark was noticeably more impatient, although still cooperative. 

The tailor gave Clark the pants Lex had ordered. Clark took the rest of his clothes and returned to the changing room. 

As Clark changed, Lex finalized and paid for the purchases with the tailor. 

Clark emerged and handed the tuxedo to the tailor who assured them he could get the alterations done in time for tonight. 

“I already paid.” Lex said. “And don’t ask about the amount.” 

Clark didn’t argue, instead he said, “We can go to my Fortress after this.” 

Tempting.

“Your parents would murder me.” Lex said. They would if they knew what Lex had already done, or heard the things he had said. “I told them I would take you to get fitted and that’s it. I need to send you back - I promised your mother.”

“You torture me with scenarios you won’t actually do to me?”

“We’ll do it before - ” Lex paused. Because this, their dating and status as a couple, wasn’t going to last. Lex had to go to the Arctic and Clark was going to return to Smallville with his family. They had mere weeks, days even. Not months or years. “Before we move.”

It was like Clark remembered too. An melancholy air fell over him although Lex had essentially promised. 

The car ride back to the Kents was silent. 

“I’ll pick you up here an hour before the show starts.” Lex said as Clark exited the car and walked toward his parents’ place.

Lex barely heard his answer.

“Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some parts are fantasy and not actually done but I just went for whatever kinks I could so now this fic has sex against a mirror, Clark watching Lex fuck him, Lex talking dirty to Clark, Lex tying Clark up, Lex getting Clark to come without touching his cock, the entire deflowering/flowerbed part, and Lex describing someone walking in on them.
> 
> I did say this fic was self-indulgent. Lol if I wanted to this probably could have been a regular SV only PWP fic but nah there’s wider plot tied to this porn. Next chapter is really LOVELESS, unless my mind does something else yet again. 
> 
> Since I'm focusing on Fusion Fic AU again that means the "Parvus, Parvus Pulsus" verse will have less priority though I think I might still be able to squeeze out Chapter 4 for that.


	11. Bellicus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the "Public Safety Maintenance” Department is discussed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied again about LOVELESS, the actual play still didn’t happen oops. I keep on getting sparks of inspiration and this thing is taking up much of my headspace again. 
> 
> Unbeta'd.

Lex barely paid any attention to the work he was suppose to be doing. He ate at the proper time. Then, he picked up the ready and altered tuxedo and drove right to the Kents’ place. 

Luckily, Jonathan was at work so there was no grumbling from him. Martha commented that Clark looked dashing. She complimented Lex too and asked if he had eaten - Clark already did. 

“Yes.” Lex answered politely. 

“Alright, you two have a good time at the theater.” Martha said. “I’m trusting you to bring him home safely, Lex.” 

Lex nodded solemnly, because there was a gravity behind her statement. She worried about Clark’s safety. 

Clark does look good in the tuxedo. He ruined this by stepping out with Lex with a black cloak and a pair of glasses. 

“Disguise?” Lex sighed. 

Clark nodded. 

Fine, Lex could tolerate Clark’s quirks. Surely, some point tonight he would take those off. And other things too. 

—

Lex drove. Clark was seated in the front passenger seat by him. 

“I haven’t asked you yet.” Lex said. “Are you familiar with LOVELESS - have you read it?”

“Hmm. A friend of a friend of mine is a big fan.” Clark said. “…He’s tried to get me to read it a few times but I never did pick it up.”

“You should have - but do you at least have a general idea of what it’s about?”

“It’s about three friends who promise to go looking for the ‘Gift of the Goddess’ together.” Clark said. “But their world is being torn apart by war…one of them becomes a Hero, one wanders the land as a Traveler, and the last becomes a Prisoner.”

“That’s right. Though usually play adaptions focus less on the friends and more on the love story.” Lex said. “The Prisoner escapes, severely wounded, and ends up in the care of a woman of the enemy faction. He falls in love with her.” 

“Star-crossed lovers…does the romance end happily?” 

“You’ll have to see for yourself.” Lex said, not wishing to spoil the rest. The Prisoner and his love were happy living together in isolation. At first. But tormented by his failure to keep the promise he made with his friends, he leaves. The final act was lost to time and legend - his return uncertain. 

—

Sector 8’s more affluent than the other sectors. A world of difference despite the fact that Sector 7 was nearby. 

That’s why the anti-LuthorCorp graffiti right on the side of the theater was unexpected. A badly drawn gray and purple LuthorCorp logo was defaced and pierced by a stylized green arrow. By it were the words “Gaia has no voice, so we shall speak for it.” WATCHTOWER’s infamous tagline. 

Lex rolled his eyes. He thought the Public Safety Department was suppose to be reducing the amount of vandalism that went on instead here it was, so nakedly apparent on a Sector 8 building. General Lane’s continuing inability to run his division well. 

“Is it weird seeing the graffiti, Lex?” Clark asked. “Um…since it’s your employer.”

“Not really. I don’t have many good feelings about LuthorCorp.” Lex said. “Not everyone necessarily loves what they do for a living.”

“That’s true…under the plate there isn’t much that people can do. It’s hard to make a living and many guys my age…or even younger, join the LuthorCorp mili - I mean the Public Safety Department - ” 

It was not a good idea to refer to the “Public Safety Maintenance” Department as the military, lest they come for you. After all, LuthorCorp was merely a private company and having its own military sounded rather aggressive despite it being the de facto ruling governmental power in Metropolis. No media ever called the department what it truly was, a military - except for the Daily Planet. 

“Clark, I’m not going to report you for saying it’s a military.” Lex said. 

Suddenly, Clark slapped his hand on Lex’s mouth and looked around nervously. 

“Lex!” He hissed. “Don’t say that.” Clark said, slowly lowering his hand. 

“Don’t say what? Military? Army? Infantry for - ”

Clark pushed his hand back on Lex’s mouth. 

Lex licked at Clark’s palm, startling him. But Clark still didn’t lower his hand.

Sighing, Lex captured Clark’s fingers in his mouth and sucked. 

That finally get him to let go and Clark retracted his hand, blushing furiously. But he didn’t wipe his hand off immediately. Lex’s saliva glistened on his fingers. 

Lex gave a lazy smile. “Your concern touches me but I’m merely stating a fact.”

Clark wiped his hand on his black cloak. His free hand at the helm of its hood, probably deciding to cover his face or not since it was red. “Okay, but saying it aloud - that’s just inviting trouble.”

“Did you know that if you stand in front of a mirror and say ‘LuthorCorp’s Public Safety Maintenance Department is an euphemism for its military’ three times General Alexander will appear and impale you with Kopis?” Lex said. Of course for him, General Alexander was always in the mirror.

Clark looked ready to slap his hand over Lex’s mouth again but he stopped because he remembered what Lex had done. 

They’re so embroiled in their antics that they were caught off guard when a kid barreled into Clark. 

There’s the sound of boots running in unison and two soldiers appeared from a corner. 

“Did you see a boy in a red hoodie pass by here?” One of the soldiers asked in a serious tone. 

“No.” Clark said, looking positively guilty. 

Lex was standing in front of him and therefore helping to obscure Clark - and the kid that was hiding under his dark cloak. In the shadows of the alley it worked. 

“We’re just out here until it’s time for the play.” Lex said. “I wanted some time alone with my companion. Just the two of us.” He added a possessive quality to his voice, and an edge of danger and power. If you don’t leave us alone you will regret it. 

“You're breaking at least one law here - " The first soldier began, not intimidated.

But he silenced the moment Lex took out his wallet. Lex knew exactly what the salary was and what he was offering to both soldiers well exceeded it. 

"I hope you two will enjoy yourselves...at the play.” The second soldier said, accepting the bribe. 

“Tell us if you happen to see the person described." The first soldier said, accepting the bribe more reluctantly. "He’ll learn his lesson not to deface private buildings and menace the public with spray paint fumes. Once we sign him up the Public Safety Maintenance Department.”

Lex knew what he really meant was forced military conscription. 

“Enjoy the play folks, and sorry for the ugly on the theater.” The second soldier said. The two walked in the opposite direction, away from Clark and Lex but their fading chatter was still audible. "...you have to wonder what kind of things that guy can do if his client paid that much to get rid of us."

“Are you okay?” Clark asked once the soldiers were gone. He gave a reassuring pat on the shoulder to the boy that rose out from under his cloak. 

“Don’t touch me, you whore!” The young boy hissed, backing away quickly. “Just because this guy brought you - nothing’s going to get me to bend to LuthorCorp folks!” He threw the green spray can that was still in his hand at Clark but Lex caught it in midair.

The boy fled in terror. He was a fast one. 

“Looks like he was grateful.” Lex said sarcastically. He dropped the can. “Clark?” he asked, because Clark was still silent. 

“…Are you upset because he called you a whore?” Lex asked. And they thought you were my whore. 

“No, I'm not. If only that were the case - I would be...tupped by now.” Clark said, looking at Lex. 

Tupped. It sounded gentle but... 

"It means - " 

"I know what it means." Lex said, interrupting. "But why say it like that." It made his mouth go dry and put so many images into his mind. 

"My parents had sheep on their farm." Clark said, like that explained everything. 

"You could have said something regular, like 'fucked'."

"That's a bad word." 

And "tupped" was suppose to be better? It meant to copulate. Specifically, a ram copulating with a ewe. Did that mean Clark wanted Lex to mount, to ram -

"You had no problem with me saying 'fuck'." Lex said, remembering their visit to the tailor and wondering it he could get away with "tupping" Clark in an alley. 

"I like when you say it. I'd like it even better if you do it to me."

Lex pushed Clark against the nearest wall. Unfortunately, it happened to be the one that the graffiti was on.

Lex backed up, apologizing for the colors that now stained Clark's cloak. 

“It's okay." Clark said, looking at his cloak. The cheeky grin he had disappeared as his face took on a thoughtful expression. "Thank you for helping me with the situation that happened, by the way.” Clark said. “I don’t think I was very convincing with my no…” 

“It’s what a bodyguard should do.” Lex said, internally cursing because the mood had shifted again. 

"I want to give you back what you used to bribe them." Clark said. "But it was a high amount even if I didn't see clearly...and it turns out my wallet's gone."

The kid. And he was long gone by now.

"I consider what happened a work expense." Lex said. "You don't need to reimburse me - though I could find him."

“No, no. Don't." Clark said. Shaking his head and waving his hands in distress. "Uh, leave him alone. It doesn't bother me. Just, I can't buy things."

"If there's anything you want. I'll get it for you." Lex said.

"Okay...I guess I have no choice but to accept that for tonight." Clark said. "Seeing a play with you does feels very strange…I’m not sure how this is my life.” Clark admitted. “I have doubts…I’m always thinking I should be doing something else.”

“Such as?” Lex asked.

“Don’t make fun of me but…saving the Planet.” Clark sighed. 

“Saving the Planet…you do know you’re one person right?”

“Just like WATCHTOWER is just one group or the Daily Planet one - ”

“It won’t last. They’re bound to slip up and be captured. The mil…Public Safety Department is vast and well-equipped.” Lex said. “And LuthorCorp’s not just going to suddenly stop extracting the Lifestream. It’s green gold.”

“That’s…really depressing.”

“My honest thoughts.” Lex said. He was close to Clark now and he scowled as he noticed the green paint on Clark’s sleeve. 

“Oh.” Clark said. “It’s fine. I’ll just take it off later.” 

Was Clark suggesting what Lex thought he was? 

“I didn’t tell my parents exactly how long the play was. You did tell me but I may have…exaggerated the duration.”

Yes he was.

“Then we might have time for things afterward.” Lex said. He took Clark’s hand. “Come on, let’s get inside the theater.” 

—

They are in the theater foyer when Clark froze in fright and recovered by getting really close to, and hiding behind Lex. 

“What’s wrong?” Lex asked. 

There was a red-haired man in a red coat, holding a purple apple. 

“His eyes.” Clark whispered. 

Lex looked. The man had glowing green "krypton eyes". It was the hallmark of being a supersoldier in LuthorCorp’s SOLDIER program. The glow was from repeated krypton energy infusions. Lex wore contacts that concealed the glow and made his eyes blue - that’s what Tess said the color of his eyes were originally. 

SOLDIER were indeed scary, especially to LuthorCorp’s enemies. And as an escaped test subject, Clark was. No wonder he was frightened. But he was also unknowingly and ironically hiding behind the highest ranked one. 

“What’s he doing here?” Clark mumbled. 

“What? SOLDIER can’t have hobbies and interests like normal people?” Lex whispered back. 

“They’re not normal.”

“Don’t stare.” Lex said. “You’ll just catch his attention. Let’s go up to our box.”

Clark nodded but he’s still trying to hid behind Lex, which was awkward because Clark was taller. 

—

Clark might have read too deeply into the significance of their tickets being to a private box. It had been that so Tess wouldn’t be seen or bothered by others who might report her to Lionel for her presentation, lest the headlines speak of Augustus Luthor wearing earrings and a dress to the theater. Tess was completing Cait Sith and Lex had already left a gift box (with a small witch hat inside) where she would eventually find it. 

“Can anyone see us up here?” Clark asked. 

“No. This place is dark. Those looking in can’t see, though we can see the stage fine because it’s well lit.” 

Clark removed his glasses and put them away in his cloak, which he took off and put on an empty seat. 

“Okay, but can the SOLDIER possibly see us, with his glowy eyes?” Clark asked. 

Lex did have better vision than ordinary people. He had no problems doing missions in the dark with his night-vision. His reputation and the rumors about him were due in part to these activities. 

“I don’t think there would be reason for him to look and we wouldn’t be doing anything suspicious.” Lex said. 

“I want to do things.” Clark said. “But I’m also afraid because…”

“Clark, what do you think of SOLDIER?" Lex asked. Curious although he knew he would not like the answer. “Tell me honestly.”

“They’re…bloodthirsty experiments who love to fight.” 

Lex crushed the arm of the seat he was using. 

Clark startled.

“It was already broken.” Lex lied, moving to a comfier sofa. “Stones and glass houses. You were an experiment too, I’m still one.” Lex said. He’s hurt but he couldn’t reveal himself. A SOLDIER named Alexander was too obvious. Clark hasn’t seen Lex’s swordsmanship. He probably thought Lex was a materia related experiment like he had been. 

“You’re right…I shouldn’t judge, but they scare me…”

Lex couldn’t help his narcissism and masochism. “What do you think of the most famous SOLDIER?” He asked. “The one I share a name with.”

“You can’t help that! …I use to have nightmares about him. It’s silly because he’s off conquering lands. He’s far away from Metropolis and…why would he bother with a single escaped test subject when he deals with whole towns and territories?” Clark said, joining Lex on the sofa. Seating himself on Lex’s lap. 

Lex tensed. 

“But in nightmares there’s no logic, you know. A monster can get really close...” Clark rested his head on Lex’s chest, seeking comfort. “I remember one where the helmet came off, and there was no head. There was nothing in the cloak either except void…and the helmet chasing me was a distraction because the cloak wrapped around me...I couldn’t move or speak.” Clark shivered. “The cloak changed to a cage and I was back in the labs.” 

Lex resisted the urge to shove Clark off of him. 

“Lex, am I scaring you? Your heart’s beating fast.” Clark looked at Lex with worried eyes. 

“You’re not scaring me.” Of course not. Lex was the one doing the scaring. Apparently, he featured in Clark’s dreams in none of the ways he wanted to be. 

“Is it because…?” He suddenly kissed Lex. 

Lex returned it fervently. He drew blood and was startled by the taste. Clark’s fingers, Clark’s skin was addictive but his blood even more so. And Lex had been shameless at the tailor’s boutique with his neck, his ear. Maybe it was the side-effect of some experiment that Clark tasted the way he did to Lex. He sucked at Clark’s lips, drawing at the cut. 

The taste was like tapping into a cherished memory. It’s his first taste but yet...it also wasn’t. It’s familiar but something he hasn’t had in a very, very long time. Lex doesn’t really think this. He felt it in his skin. But why?

Lex couldn’t think clearly because his own blood had rushed to his cock. He’s so hard it was painful. 

_You’re right. I am a bloodthirsty experiment._ Lex thought. 

They’re in a private, dark booth. No one would notice if Lex took Clark to the ground, have him on his stomach…

Lex wasn’t the only desperate one. He doubted Clark was anywhere near what he felt but Clark was still trying to divest him of his jacket. 

But he couldn’t. Clark didn’t know he was General Alexander. His nightmare. 

He tried to think of other things besides how much he wanted to _tup_ Clark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Red hoodie was a Bart Allen/Impulse cameo (because speed and thievery). He probably won’t appear again in this series until Longfic Fic 2 (aka Advent Children...sorry son). 
> 
> The Lifestream is "green gold" like how oil can be referred to as "black gold". Green gold alliterates rather nicely. 
> 
> The red coat, red hair man is Genesis (FF7: Crisis Core). It’s a cameo and that’s all for his role. I just needed Clark to get freaked out about a SOLDIER and the play is LOVELESS so why wouldn’t Genesis show up. And this is kind of weird because Lex, if he had hair, it would be red and he is fire-aligned. Lex is Sephiroth, Zack, Cloud and Genesis. 
> 
> The self-indulgence continues. One of my narrative kinks is a characters talking shit about another character while not knowing the character is someone they like/are close to, bonus points if it’s to their face. See Clex fics where Lex talks shit about Superman to Clark(while not knowing Clark is Supes). I love that stuff. Except here it’s Clark talking shit about Lex, effectively cock blocking himself because now Lex is angsting tons. (It's the "experiment" line Aerith more or less says to Zack, though Lex is very Sephiroth here) 
> 
> And that "tup" scene is more stuff off my list: trolling, thirsty Clark who's not so innocent despite not swearing, kind of sex worker Clark(yes, I did this _again_ for those who read my "What Kind of Man" fic), reminder Clark is from the countryside, etc. idk I have ideas that can be separate/SV only fics but I can't think of context or plot so here it all is in a giant Frankenstein fic that uses FF7's plot/world. And I still have so much to share :)


	12. Exemplar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lex takes a trip down bad memories lane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter warnings: non-consensual medical experimentation, shape-shifting, body-stealing/control, deaths, graphic injuries, nightmares, 
> 
> My mind effectively went to horror land because I’m not sure I left enough clues. So here’s some more since I was inspired by Genesis' abilities. 
> 
> Not sure if the horror is written well enough, I might re-edit later. 
> 
> Chapter 10 was Smut, Chapter 11 was Angst, now Chapter 12 is Horror. A rollercoaster ride and I thought I’d be at LOVELESS by now but these last chapters were actually unplanned and came about from recent inspiration! So the break I took from this fic was good because now I have this chapter which serves important narrative functions.
> 
> Krypton is basically a nuclear power metaphor if that helps with understanding what it is and how it produces supersoldiers and weird effects.

Lex goes for bad memories. 

—

“Good, you’re awake.” Fine said. “While you were out, I removed a kidney.”

Lex was still only semi-conscious. What did Fine say? Eventually, it registered. 

“You took out…” Lex does feel one missing. 

“To test a theory. You only need one to live anyway.” Fine said. “It’s time for another krypton treatment.”

“I had one just a few days ago.” Lex hated the headaches and memory issues that followed each one. 

But Fine was already pushing the gurney toward the treatment room.

Soon, there was the familiar sensation of the energy coursing through him. 

Even before he’s scanned by the machine, Lex had already felt the hollow space in his body fill up the moment krypton entered his veins. 

When the pictures come out two kidneys are clearly visible. 

“Here, you can keep your old one.” Fine said. He handed Lex a clear jar filled with an organ suspended in green fluid. There’s little cuts on it, where Fine had taken out samples to study. 

—

“How are SOLDIER made?” Lex asked Fine. Lex must have gone through the process sometime in the past but he didn’t remember what it entailed. The answers seemed close yet always far away, especially after each krypton treatment. “What else is used besides krypton energy?” Because there had to be something else. 

The Lifestream wasn’t toxic in its natural form, but krypton was. There was such a thing as too much of a good thing. Krypton was a manufactured, refined and modified Lifestream, separated from nature. 

But Krypton was still safe enough if used properly and for what it was meant for, generating electricity. Regular people shouldn’t be exposed to krypton. But Lex wasn’t regular. Regular people did not have bodies that reacted to krypton energy the way Lex’s did, regenerating organs. 

It was strange because regular Lifestream didn’t like Lex. There were places on the Planet were it flowed close to the surface, suitable places to build a krypton reactor on. While scouting an area Lex had fell into the Lifestream once, and the fierce current should have ended his life. 

Sometimes that happened, people fell into the Lifestream and it swallowed them relentlessly. That was its unceasing nature. Like normal water it couldn’t be stopped, if a dam had even a single weak point, water would run and run through any opening it could. But instead of of being pulled in, Lex had felt himself be pushed out, the Lifestream rejecting him until he found himself on land again. 

It haunted him. Sometimes Lex thought he would die one day, probably on a battlefield but other times he wondered if it was possible for him to die at all when he wasn’t sure what was wrong with his body and what the SOLDIER program did to him.

“I’ll tell you, Lex.” Fine said one day. “If you can subdue this target without damaging him badly, preferably not at all. No materia allowed.”

The target was in a large underground room he wanted to escape. He’s gray skinned and red eyed, dressed in a simple shift. There was a sharp, bony spike protruding out of his wrist. Fine said his name was Davis. Another SOLDIER failure, Lex thought. Were his powers telekinetic? Lex felt drawn toward Davis. He resisted. 

If Fine wanted Lex to subdue Davis, Lex was not sure why Fine also gave him a small regiment of soldiers. Wouldn’t they just get in the way?

Lex ordered them to stand back but one soldier, a likely rookie, fool-heartedly charged forward. 

Davis was fast. He dodged the sword and stabbed the soldier in the chest with the spike that came out of his wrist, going through the armor. The rookie fell to the ground. 

The soldiers behind Lex are fearful. They think one of them had already been slaughtered. 

Lex ordered them to go into a defensive formation and absolutely not make any sudden moves unless he told them to. They obey; well spooked by their fallen comrade. 

But the fallen soldier wasn’t dead after all because he rose from the ground, picking up his weapon again. Davis was unbothered, standing right by the soldier that had assaulted him moments ago. 

Something was wrong. Even Lex could feel a primal fear. In his mind Lionel mocked his fear, swung a rapier and criticized Lex’s swordsmanship. Lex doesn’t love fighting. But Lionel taught him early. Fight or you’ll be the one bleeding. 

Fine had to be watching what was happening on the live feeds of the cameras in this room. 

“Biggs?” said one of the soldiers behind Lex. He was addressing the soldier that was now welding his sword in a pose clearly against them, standing by Davis’s side. “Why are you standing there… and w-what happened to your mouth?”

“Wedge.” Lex growled, because that was the name of the soldier that had spoken. “And this goes to everyone but, do not speak unless its relevant to our survival.” Because Lex was beginning to think this really was the case. Lex noticed that Biggs was several inches taller now. 

Biggs charged forward suddenly, and he would have cut Wedge down but Lex blocked the blow with Kopis. 

“Stand back!” Lex yelled at the other soldiers as they almost charged forward. It would have hindered his movements more than helped. 

What on Gaia was Biggs doing? Lex had Biggs blocked but Wedge was going up to him and trying to take off his helmet?

Wedge succeeded.

Lex’s blood ran cold. The soldiers behind him screamed, cursed, cried. 

Davis smiled and beckoned. Biggs jumped back and returned to his side. Standing next to each other they could be twins. Biggs had Davis’s face, and he didn’t before. 

“Take off your helmets.” Lex ordered the other soldiers, although he himself kept his black helmet on. If he was turned the others would have no chance anyway. 

They discard their helmets. 

Davis and Biggs charged forward suddenly. Davis used his wrist spike to stab the next soldier in the neck. Wedge. This time without a helmet to hide faces, everyone could see Wedge's features morph before their eyes - his skin, his bones. Eye color, hair color. Until there was a third Davis. It was unclear who was Biggs anymore; who was Wedge, just that Davis had the wrist spike.

“Don’t let that spike touch you.” Lex said, though soldiers would have listened without him having to say so. “Focus on subduing the original.” Fine had said not to injure Davis. If Lex could do this he would finally get the truth he had been searching for. Am I even human? 

“Subdue? We should kill it before it kills us!” A soldier yelled, charging at Davis recklessly. 

It’s a mistake. Davis stabbed him in the chest. There’s chaos as a fourth Davis is made and all four charge at Lex and the remaining soldiers. In the din and panic no commands would be heard. 

There’s twitching bodies on the ground. Davis copies that Lex had not killed but disabled. If they survived this maybe they could still be saved. 

Kopis was too far away. Lex was fighting the original Davis. He’s missing one arm but the one with the spike was still intact. It’s taking Lex both his hands to hold back Davis’s hand to stop him from inserting it into Lex’s chest. Davis was supernaturally strong, even more so than Lex. Lex wanted answers from Fine. But he also didn’t want to be turned into a puppet, more of one than he was already anyway. 

He was losing the struggle to Davis.

“Reunion.” Davis hissed, pushing the spike closer. 

A cold fear gripped Lex. Did he get stabbed already and not notice? Because he felt the control he had over his own limbs slipping away. Davis was too close. 

Lex had removed most of his materia, like Fine ordered but there was one he was so use to being there he forgot. 

His casting of it was instinctual, like his alignment with Fire materia. “Firaga.” Lex said, using Level 3 Fire. 

Davis burned to ashes. 

Lex rolled out of the way as the ashes fell and scattered. 

Around him the twitching bodies stopped moving and fell like puppets with their strings cut. 

Mentally and physically exhausted, he passed out. 

—

“What have you done!” Fine howled at Lex the moment he woke. “That man was unique. You don’t know how much work I put in - ” 

“What have I done? What on Gaia was that!” Lex rasped back at Fine. “What if he escaped into the city, did you think about what would have happened! ” Davis changing random citizens - children into copies of his form. The thought was grotesque and horrifying. Lex was glad he was nothing but ashes now. 

“A waste…A waste! Research set back by years - I told you to be careful with that man!” Fine yelled. “He was going to be my greatest experiment yet. Even better than you!”

“I’m not your experiment!” Lex shouted. He was still dizzy and tired. He knew he was close to blacking out again. 

“You are. You’re an experiment that doesn’t even know what they’re an experiment of.” Fine laughed. “It could have been a win-win, both of us finding out things - you have no idea how hard I worked to produce him and all it’s gone because you can’t follow simple instructions.” 

Lex struggled to say something but he was at his limit, the shock of losing a chance for answers…his eyes closed. 

—

There’s scheduled mental health checkups for SOLDIER.

Helen Bryce listened as Lex described his dreams. 

He was somewhere dark and deep, a cave somewhere. Sealed under layers of ice and earth. He was so, so cold. 

He flies with one wing, sometimes across a blue sky, sometimes he’s in the void of outer space. He’s never been there…but it was so familiar. He feels like he has been traveling for eons. 

“I understand, Alexander.” Helen said, but she really doesn’t. “You feel trapped and that’s reflected in your dreams. You feel hurt by other people, and you want to be free. Wings symbolize freedom for those who have none. And there’s nothing freer and wider than outer space. There's no one to hurt you there.” 

"Wings symbolize monsters." Lex said, just to be contrary. There’s wings on the monsters that roam the Planet. Dragons, giant bats...Lex has fought a countless amount. But their wings were leathery while Lex was sure his wing was made of white feathers. 

There was something else and Lex doesn’t tell her. In the dreams, sometimes he falls, hurtling downward, and was overcome by a fierce joy upon impact. He doesn't die, just the opposite. He was going to live. 

—

“Lex, are you okay?” Clark cradled Lex’s face in his hands. 

They were both lying on the ground. But Lex had his back to the floor and Clark was hovering worriedly over him. The remaining flecks of blood on Clark’s mouth was dry. 

“You look really unhappy. I’m sorry - we don’t have to do anything.” Clark said. “Did I do something wrong?”

“It’s not your fault at all, Clark.” Lex said. Thank Gaia. The trip down memory lane had effectively destroyed his desire. He stood up and lowered Clark’s arms. “Let’s sit in our own seats. The curtain’s rising.”

Clark sat down.

Lex turned his eyes toward the stage, trying to ignore the sensation of Clark’s eyes on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smallville Role and Final Fantasy VII Roles:  
> For this fic I wondered if I should just call Jenova Doomsday but the problem is the scientists who found Jenova doesn't know she is a doom so they wouldn't have named her that. And she is my favorite apocalyptic alien so won't change her name with a Smallville counterpart though Doomsday is the closest. 
> 
> Because really? A dangerous genetic creature with gray skin and red eyes, capable of destroying civilization, who gets imprisoned in ice/earth, and escapes imprisonment? [Just like mother](http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/0/130/558828-ffviiac_jenova.jpg)
> 
> I put Davis Bloome here ~~so Lex can commit fratricide~~ so I could foreshadow some more. 
> 
> [Wrist spike inspired by the Wraiths from Supernatural ](http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/images/a/a0/WraithSpike511.jpg)
> 
> Biggs and Wedge from FF6 get a cameo. Other FF6 characters will be featured too but they are a secret.  
> Cissnei (FF7: Crisis Core)'s thoughts on wings is referenced in Lex's conversation with Bryce. 
> 
> I edited some lines in Chapter 3 in order to remove any references to where the Calamity came from (the sky) because Lex is not allowed to connect the dots yet:  
>  **“Legend has it that one day something appeared. A Calamity. The Calamity destroyed many of the Kryptonians, driving them to the point of near extinction until presumably they defeated it, because it is not currently threatening the human race.” Dr. Swann said solemnly.**  
>  **Lex frowned. “How did one creature destroy so many Kryptonians?”**  
>  **“That is one of the many mysteries of the legends. But when the Calamity appeared, the humans hid while the Kryptonians fought.”**  
>  Pfft. I knew I would eventually get in trouble with that info dump, and have to edit.
> 
> This fic has strange layers were on one hand it’s Lionel and Fine but they are very much a part of my exploration of evil business man Lex and evil scientist Lex without letting it actually be Lex. I am not fond of evil Lex wins fics. Clark definitely wins in this series, but it will be hard earned. Everyone who's as much as taken one step in video games fandom knows what happens to Aerith. I said _eventual_ happy ending. There's tons and tons of angst along the way. 
> 
> In some verses like comics or DC Animated Universe, Lex is perfectly capable of discovering how to extract the Lifestream ($$$) and he totally would continue fucking around with Jenova/Calamity DNA even after figuring out its Jenova. If you think about it like that this fic gets really weird and fucked up on many levels (as if it isn't already). That’s a new way to see things and now you know a bit more about what my mind’s like because it's like I'm using two evil Lex to make a ~woobie~ Lex. (For the longest time I thought Sephiroth was the originator of the woobie trope but fanlore tells me Lex Luthor is the origin *So what is the truth? Oprah gif*)
> 
> Are you excited about the destiny that is his to fufill? 
> 
> Comments are loved.


	13. Oraculum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clark and Lex see the play LOVELESS.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had trouble with LOVELESS, so for inspiration I drew from Final Fantasy VI and played with it. Some scenes could probably use work but I had more inspiration for some than others. It got pretty meta. 
> 
> Unbeta'd.

The curtain rose and the murmurs of the crowd settled down and disappeared. There was the familiar sound of cetra, the ancient stringed instruments that traditionally accompanied performances of LOVELESS. Lex relaxed.

Clark was drawn in by the music as well.

The male narrator appeared on stage, his strong voice carrying as he loftily recited the prologue.

 _When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end_  
_The goddess descends from the sky_  
_Wings of light and dark spread afar_  
_She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting_  
  
“Lex, what does that mean?” Clark asked, probably trying to draw Lex into a conversation and reduce the mental distance between them.

“LOVELESS is open to many interpretations.” Lex said. “Just pay attention and draw your own conclusions. Don’t speak during the play.” He kept his eyes on the stage; resolutely crossing his arms and closing himself off in body language. 

“Okay…” Clark said unhappily.

On stage, new friendships were being woven. Branford the Hero, Locke the Prisoner, and Cole the Traveler - though none of them had grown into their roles yet. The three meeting for the first time in a bar.

Cole attempted to steal Locke's coin purse but Branford had noticed and stopped him. 

Cole failed to escape. He held up a coin, only showing one side. 

"Say, if I flip this coin and it lands on tails I'll return your wallet." Cole said. "But if it lands on heads you tell this guy to let me go."

Lex glanced at Clark, who was indeed frowning and likely thinking about his own lost wallet.

Branford frowned. "It is not well to let a thief go." 

"A Thief?" Cole gasped. "I prefer 'Treasure Hunter' or 'Adventurer'." 

Clark laughed along with the audience.

"And my name is Cole." The Traveler added.

"I am called Branford." The Hero said. 

"Hello, Cole the 'Adventurer'. My name is Locke." The Prisoner said. "And I agree to your flip of the coin. Let us leave things to the goddess." The goddess was Fortune, or Fate. Or at least that was one interpretation.

The audience watched with baited breath, though some already knew what would happen. 

Clark didn't know at all. He watched anxiously.

The coin landed on heads.

"Let him go." Locke said.

Branford does, reluctantly. But his reflexes are astonishingly even faster than a Thief's. He recovered the coin before Cole does. 

"This coin is heads on both sides!" Branford said, offering it for Locke to look at.

Locke took it and looked. He held it up for the audience and projected it with a device. It was indeed two-headed.

"The Traveler tricked them." Clark whispered in shock.

"You can keep my special coin." Cole grinned. "It's a fair exchange for your wallet, don't you think?" 

Branford disagreed.

"Look pal, it's not your wallet." Cole said.

"I am not your 'pal'." Branford said.

"We could be after a few drinks." Cole said. "What do you say? I got this wallet here - " 

"That's not your wallet." Branford said.

"We'll drink together." Locke declared.

"Huh?" Branford was confused while Cole shouted in joy, calling the bartender over.

They do drink together, the alcohol loosened tongues, lowered high guards. 

"Why are you a 'Treasure Hunter'? What is it that you seek?" Branford asked Cole.

"What I seek, my friends, is the Gift of the Goddess." Cole said.

"When did we become your friends?" Branford said. "I do not even know this stranger." He added, referring to Locke.

"Aren't people who drink together friends?" Cole said. 

"What is the Gift of the Goddess?" asked Locke. 

"A mystery." Cole said. "I've looked for it everywhere but it remains out of my reach. But it'll know it when I see it." 

"If you found it, would you cease your activities?" Branford asked, referring to his stealing. 

"Yes. There is no better treasure than the Gift of the Goddess." Cole said. 

Locke was intrigued. By the end of the night, the three had promised to seek it together.

Cole gave Locke his two-headed coin, but took Branford's wallet.

The travel together, but a war was brewing. 

The narrator continued to recite LOVELESS.

_Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess_  
_We seek it thus, and take it to the sky_  
_Ripples form on the water's surface_  
_The wandering soul knows no rest._  


Cole was a source of comedic relief. The lines referring to how he was the Traveler but he often got airsick, and seasick. 

Clark was quiet. Paying attention.

_The infinite mystery_  
_The gift of the goddess is what the three men seek_  
_But their fates are scattered by war_

"Lex, why is Cole sometimes called the Wanderer?" Clark asked. "I thought he was the Traveler."

Lex held back an exasperated sigh. "Translations vary. It depends. Wanderer suggests aimlessness, being without purpose. Just going through life - but Traveler means going on a journey with a destination in mind. Someone who knows what they are doing...though it does take him awhile to come around." Cole went "treasure-hunting" instead of dealing with his problems.

"Oh. Someone who's just aimlessly going through life...versus someone who knows what they have to do, and go about doing it." Clark said, sounding reflective.

_One becomes a hero, one wanders the land  
And the last is taken prisoner _

The war could not be escaped. Branford and Locke decide to join the army, seeking glory. Cole followed them but use to freedom, he deserted. During a battle Branford is separated from Locke. Bradford, the fated Hero, became an amnesiac. A hapless, scared expression belied the strength and determination that appeared during battle. He does not recall his friends or the promise they had made but became a significant threat to the enemy nation through his defense of the orphans created by the war.

The actor for Cole played him with a fittingly high degree of charm. The endearing Traveler occasionally tended to steal the show. He had an interesting way of seeking out the Gift of the Goddess. Collecting maps and wandering as a thief. 

_But the three are still bound by a solemn oath_  
_To seek the answer together, once again_  
  
The costumes and special effects were admirable. There's an clear modern edge to the designs and high production values. Usually, there was a bias for Act II and Act III in productions - the love story, but the closeness of the war in Act I was not glossed over here but some things were still avoided. People went to see LOVELESS for escape.

The separations that happen are meant to cut into the audience’s heart, and they do. Act I ends with the Locke captured, becoming his role.

The audience erupted with emotion.

Lex felt a camaraderie with the Prisoner - this was the twelfth time, at least, that he had seen a production of LOVELESS. 

This was Clark’s first time seeing LOVELESS. His first real introduction to it. Lex heard a despairing sound. 

“You do know he eventually escapes, right?” Lex said. 

“Yes, but things look so bad…” Clark said. “He’s suffering.”

“I guess what he needs is a good hug.” Lex said. 

“Yeah.” Clark agreed, completely missing his sarcasm. He’s watching the stage again as Act II began.

 _There is no hate, only joy_  
_For you are beloved by the goddess_  
_Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds_

The Prisoner does escape, with the help of a coin the Traveler had given him. Locke flipped it for a guard. 

"Tails you chain me up again, heads you let me go." 

Both sides were head. Locke escaped. 

The audience was elated.

"Yes!" Clark grinned.

 _Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul_  
_Pride is lost_  
_Wings stripped away, the end is nigh_  


The good cheer died down.

Locke was severely wounded, lying in a ditch and ready to die. He expressed that the chance of seeing his friends again was what kept him going. 

"They're a little large, but he didn't charge." Cole declared, after stealing a soldier's clothes. 

It was incredibly corny but the actor made the line work in his delivery. There was a smattering of laughter. A successful bit of light humor to relax the audience after such harrowing scenes. 

He was going to enter the dungeon Locke had been held in, chasing the rumor of treasure. But unbeknownst to Cole, Locke had been held there, and had just escaped. 

"Ahh! He almost saved his friend." Clark murmured in distress. "Locke wants to see him again but they already missed each other!" 

"Dramatic irony." Lex said. "The audience has knowledge of something a character doesn't. So they'll feel for them. It's a way to get the audience to bond with the character."

"It's working then." Clark said. "I want them to reunite already."

"Cole wasn't even intending to find Locke." Lex said. "He was just seeking treasure."

"Well, maybe the real treasure was the friends he made on his journey." Clark said.

Lex snorted. "That sounds like something Branford says...'the true Gift of the Goddess may be our comrades'." 

"Hey, no spoilers." Clark said. Crossing his arms.

"Then you better stop looking at me and look at the play." Lex said.

"I will." Clark said, ignoring Lex. He turned his attention back to the battle that was playing out. 

"It's not the net worth of one's life that's important. It is the day to day concerns, the personal victories, and the celebration of life...and love!" Branford declared, successfully defending his allies. 

Clark cheered along with the audience. Lex always felt those lines were cheesy. But of course a Hero would stand for something like life and love.

Clark stopped cheering and stared once he realized what had happened. "No! They both missed him!"

Branford had fought near the place Locke had been held as the Prisoner but Branford hadn't known he was there, or even regained his memories at the time. He could have encountered Locke, saved him - but the goddess had denied them that chance. 

Still, the actor portrayed the nuances of Branford well. A very confused and fearful person suffering from amnesia, frightened and helpless himself but for others was selfless and protective. He put more effort into trying to understand others rather than himself and found the strength to be a Hero from other people. His confidence and assertiveness built slowly.

Lex knew he identified with all three friends to some degree. The memory issues, the traveling of the earth, the imprisonment, though not always physical... 

_Though the prisoner escapes, he is gravely wounded_  
_His life is saved, however_  
_By a woman of the opposing nation_

The actress casted to be the enemy woman conveyed kindness in her movements, her expression. Yes, this was someone the prisoner could live the rest of his days in isolation with, in peace and joy. But he would be an oath-breaker, while the world fell to ruin around them. 

"Who are you? An angel?" Locke asked her.

"No. Just Chere." She answered. "I can take you along."

Thanks, but no thanks. I can barely walk..." Locke said. "I'm grateful, but...even if you got me out, you'd never be able to protect me. No, I think I'm better off here." The Prisoner said in his ditch. 

She lifted Locke into her arms, surprising him with her strength. "I believe I can."

"Then...I'll leave it to you." Locke said, closing his eyes.

She brought him to her house, and tended to his heavy injuries. 

He does not take to her immediately.

"I'm a soldier, not some love-starved twit!" Locke said to himself, when his wounds kept him up at night.

But during the day she tended to the wounds with herbs she picked.

Clark was skeptical. "Um, that's not right. They look similar but what she's holding is poisonous, it doesn't heal. They didn't do proper research - she's going to end up killing the Prisoner!"

"It's just a prop, Clark." Lex said, amused.

"It's an incorrect prop." Clark complained. 

Once he was able to move, Locke found a blade in her house. The design was recognizable as that of his enemy nation. The tender feelings he was developing toward her were torn asunder. But he was still too weak to escape. In bed, he hid under the covers, with the blade in hand. 

There were murmurs from the crowd.

"That's horrible...she's done nothing but care for him." Clark said. 

"Well who knows? She could be keeping him alive for some sinister, ulterior purpose." Lex said.

"No, she's not." Clark grumbled. "Hey...you read this thing - you know what happens."

"I do."

"Lex, I haven't read LOVELESS but I know it's a love story, not a he-kills-his-true-love story."

"Are you sure?" Lex teased.

Clark ignored him and watched the stage.

"Explain." Locke demanded, holding the blade against his throat. "Why did you nurse me back to health? Did I ever ask you to help me!"

Clark groaned and covered his face with his hands, but still looked out from between them.

"LOVELESS is a drama after all." Lex commented.

"Because you were calling for your loved ones..." Chere said. 

Chere explained to Locke that she had been a general in the army of his enemy nation. She deserted; disillusioned after a plan of poisoning a town's wells was given to her by a superior. After that she decided to retire from the war-torn world, living by herself in isolation. She still stepped out from time to time and that was when she stumbled upon him. She wished him no harm, only to restore him so he may return to the world if he wanted to. 

_He begins a life of seclusion with her_  
_Which seems to hold the promise of eternal bliss_

Their feelings develop more easily, after this revelation. 

"The genuine companionship you have given me is better than all the power and status I was ever given in the army." Chere told Locke. 

"They're so happy together." Clark said. "Does he really have to leave?"

"That sounds like what she asks him, later." Lex said.

"You spoiled me again." Clark pouted.

"And to answer your question, yes, he has to go." Lex said. "They could just live in their secluded world, blissful and blissfully ignorant. But they're not. They know the world is falling into ruin and they're doing nothing but being selfishly wrapped up in their happiness. He's a Prisoner still, but a different kind." 

Clark squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. "You have a point..."

 _But as happiness grows, so does guilt_  
_Of not fulfilling the oath to his friends_  


Lex was startled by the sound of an incoming call on his PHS. 

Clark gave him a judgmental expression. "Shouldn’t you turn off your PHS during a play?"

Lex looked at the caller ID. There was no way he couldn’t accept the call. 

“Excuse me.” Lex said. 

Clark nodded and turned his attention back to the play. 

“Hello.” Lex said. Then he doesn’t speak. Just listened to a command being issued. The person on the other line ended the call. 

“I’m sorry, Clark. I have to go and take care of some business.” 

“Okay.” Clark said. He frowned a little; but his eyes were drawn to the stage. 

Lex ran outside. He got into his car. He drove quickly. He parked and exited the car. He entered the building and accessed the elevator easily with the clearance his card gave him. 

He’s made to wait. 

—

“Alexander, you’re driving a car that runs on oil. What’s wrong with the krypton one?” Lionel said from behind his office desk. 

“I - ”

“I hear you’re seeing someone.” Lionel interrupted. 

No. No! Lex froze. How much did Lionel know? Lex had left Clark alone in the theater, vulnerable - 

“The car’s a part of your undercover work I assume.” 

Lex nodded. But internally his mind was reeling. 

“Dating a Sector 7 local - they might know things you don’t.” Lionel continued. He stood up and walked over to Lex. “That’s a not a bad plan. Though I wouldn’t do such a thing myself, too much work, time, commitment… Augustus still hasn’t found WATCHTOWER’s base. And speaking of those pests. It’s why I called you here. You don’t have to deal with WATCHTOWER anymore.”

“I don’t?” Lex said. He seemed to have lost the ability to say anything more coherent or of note. And why didn’t he have to worry about WATCHTOWER anymore…? 

“You don’t, son.” He gave Lex’s shoulder a deathly strong squeeze. “Your hard work’s appreciated but you can stop. Tomorrow, stay out of Sector 7.”

Stay out of Sector 7? Lionel called him here to tell him that?

“Thank you, father. For the undeserved praise.” Lex said numbly. 

“You can take your lover with you too. And keep them away for a whole day…and the night. Find something to do.” Lionel smiled. “Trust me. They’d would be very grateful to you later. I don’t mind you running around with a slum rat because you’re doing it for the company’s sake. Just be sure to wrap up if you do anything because who knows what kind of diseases may be lurking, even if you are a resistant supersoldier.” 

Lex nodded. Because what could he possibly say in reply to that? 

“You have tomorrow to settle things with your little distraction.” Lionel said. “But the day after, I want you to go to Smallville.”

Smallville?

“There’s been reports of its reactor malfunctioning. I want you to check up on it.” 

“Understood.”

Lionel was in an astonishingly good mood. It didn’t bode well for anyone that wasn’t him. Lex wasn’t going to ruin that mood and risk Lionel’s wrath by asking him why he was sending the highest ranked SOLDIER to do something like check up on a broken reactor in some small town. Even if it was Clark’s hometown and Lex was curious about what it was like. Its name wasn’t very promising though. 

Lionel also tasked him with reducing the amount of monsters that were roaming the town. He asked for a status update on the preparations for the arctic expedition. Lex gave it. 

“That’s all, General. You’re dismissed.”

—

Lex returned in the middle of Act IV. Clark doesn’t even notice his return because he was fully immersed in the play. 

“Do you really have to leave?” Chere asked Locke. 

“I promised. The people I love are waiting.” Locke answered.

“…I think I understand. You don't want to live in this world as it is...so you're doing something about it. But...please take care of yourself.”

“Of course...I'll come back to you. Even if you don't promise to wait. I'll return knowing that you'll be here.” The Prisoner said.

Lex could hear the audience cry…and Clark tear up as well.  


The friends are reunited in a mine. Cole in the midst of seeking treasure, restored Branford's memory with his stolen wallet. And Locke was nearby. That meant the closing duel was about to begin.

"Everyone lusts for power, it seems." Branford said. 

Locke could not help but be jealous of Branford's exploits.

"Indeed. After all, your glory should have been mine." The Prisoner said, clashing blades with the Hero.

Branford put his blade down into the earth. A surrender. Not because Locke was more skilled, but because Branford did not fight to win, but to protect.

 _Legend shall speak_  
_Of sacrifice at world's end_  
_The wind sails over the water's surface_  
_Quietly, but surely_  


“…Where’s the rest?” Clark gaped once he realized that the play was over.

“That’s it.” Lex said. “Those are the last lines of Act IV that lead to the final act, which was lost to the ages.” 

Lex stood up and applauded, joining the clapping that was resounding through the theater. Clark stood up as well, clapping enthusiastically as the actors bowed. He was one of the people cheering when Locke's actor embraced Chere's. The lovers reuniting in a way. The cheering and applause was also loud when the three friends held hands and bowed. 

Once the actors had really left the stage, Clark glared at Lex. “You didn’t give me any warning. And now it’s over.”

“Did you enjoy the play?”

“Yes. But it’s over. Hey…it’s over.” Clark realized. He left his seat and walked over to Lex. 

Lex stood up and stepped out of the way as Clark was about to attempt to share Lex’s seat. 

“Let’s leave. I’ll drive you back.”

“But - ”

“I’ll stop the car somewhere nearby before I actually take you to your house.” Lex said. 

“Okay!” Clark said. He took Lex’s arm although Lex had not offered it. 

Lex sighed and they walked down and out of the theater together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I only shared part of LOVELESS because Lex missed out on much of the play in his pov [here’s a link to canon lines (including the missing Act V).](http://www.neoseeker.com/forums/23236/t1132483-loveless-full-act-spoiler/#m19424438) or you can listen to [Genesis recite it](http://wyrmlivvy.tumblr.com/post/129832024917)
> 
> Smallville Role - FF7 Role  
> Book of Rao - LOVELESS (I'm super serious) 
> 
> That Lionel scene is ominous as hell and FF7 people already know what’s up from miles away. Shit’s going to go down.
> 
> Also, I now have a [tumblr you can send messages to](http://wyrmlivvy.tumblr.com/ask).


	14. Stella

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clark and Lex discuss LOVELESS and star gaze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Kryptonian language:](http://wyrmlivvy.tumblr.com/post/129832413047/the-two-pictures-above-is-the-kryptonian-used-in)  
>  I like Smallville Kryptonian Alphabet more than Man of Steel Kryptonian Alphabet but MoS one looks so much more stream-like and leaf shapes and probably suits Kryptonians in this universe more than the geometric simpler shapes one of Smallville but I decided to compromise and say it's like both. Geometry and angles are nature-y too as y'all will see in the next chapter :P  
> Unbeta'd.

Clark was silent during the car ride. Probably because he’s afraid Lex might change his mind if he said anything. But Clark wouldn’t stop drumming his fingers or tapping his feet. He had so much energy - energy he was eager to spend. 

Lex would have to disappoint him. 

He stopped the car at the far edges of Sector 7. They’re near the Kent’s house but not quite there. It was far enough out from the city that the stars could be seen in the sky. Amazingly, there were even trees. 

“Lex, did you pick this place for a reason…?” Clark said, looking at the trees. 

“No I didn’t.” Lex said. “And I feel like we should just talk, Clark.”

“Oh…okay, talking’s good.” Clark said in a voice that meant it clearly wasn’t. 

“Your thoughts on LOVELESS?”

“It was a really good play, you missed the best parts!”

“I’ve seen LOVELESS no less than twelve times.” Lex said. Not to mention he’s read it even more times. 

“Wow...though I think I understand why your're a fan.” Clark smiled. "I like it too."

“I’m glad you do.” Lex smiled too. 

“But you didn’t see tonight’s production in its entirety.”

“No, I didn’t. But which of us has read LOVELESS countless times and can recite it from memory?” 

“LOVELESS was…weirdly familiar, like I’ve heard it before. But I haven’t read it or seen a production until now…” Clark said. Then he said something else, as if in a trance. Lex wasn’t sure what. It wasn’t like anything Lex has ever heard on Gaia and Lex had been places. The way it had flowed was like water in a stream, despite the angular quality of the words that Lex had picked up on despite not actually understanding the speech. It’s contradictory but it also wasn’t. 

“Can you repeat what you just said?” Lex asked, on the trail of some mystery. 

“I said…” Clark looked confused. “Infinite in mystery is the Gift of the Goddess...We seek it thus, and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface. The wandering soul knows no rest.” 

“Act I.” Lex said. That wasn’t at all what you said. Lex thought. But I won’t push it. I’m going to break up with you soon anyway. 

Lex had already made up his mind. There was too many problems with their relationship. Lex’s conflicted loyalties, the fact that Lionel knew Lex was dating someone and that put Clark in danger. Lex was General Alexander, a SOLDIER, a blood thirsty experiment...he still doesn’t know why Clark tasted so good to him. And to any clues or tests would mean he’d have to taste Clark again… 

“Legend shall speak, of sacrifice at world's end...the wind sails over the water's surface...quietly, but surely.” Clark said. “Those are the last lines before the missing fifth act. Is it really lost, without any clues at all?”

Clark memorized things quickly. Or he lied about never having read LOVELESS. 

“I’m afraid not. Though there are theories, especially surrounding if the Gift of the Goddess is found or not.”

“Can…it be made up?”

“Make it up? LOVELESS is an ancient epic. The ending can’t just be ‘made up’!” Lex said, aghast.

“Why not?”

“It has years of history!” 

“Act V, the Gift of the Goddess mends the land, I -” 

“What makes you think it’ll heal the land? I agree with the theory that the Gift of the Goddess is an all consuming destruction.” 

“That’s so pessimistic! I thought it was an all consuming cure!” 

“You’re too optimistic. But sure, it’s a cure - if the cure is starting all over again.” 

“Start over?”

“The war of the beasts means the world is in ruin. So shouldn’t the Goddess restart everything?”

“No. I think She should give everyone a second chance first.” Clark said. “Now let me finish…The Gift of the Goddess mends the land. I said I would be back, so here I am.”

“That was terrible…it didn’t match the rhythm of at all. You can’t just reunite the lovers, one or both of them could die.”

“Well, I believe in true love." Clark said. "Even if the morrow is barren of promises - ”

“Nothing shall forestall my return.” Lex said, finishing the Act III quote. “You do, but forgive me if I don’t believe in true love.” Lex did not. His interest in LOVELESS laid in its military value. 

“Oh, then what about us?”

“Us?” Lex echoed. “What, do you want us to be the stuff of legends? Like LOVELESS?”

“Yup.”

“We can’t even agree on what the Gift of the Goddess is.” Lex sighed. “And if we were in LOVELESS…what would be your role? Out of the three friends?”

“I guess I would be the Traveler.” Clark said. “One day I’m going to leave Metropolis and travel the Planet...like my parents did…how about you?”

“The Hero I suppose.” Lex said, not believing himself. It just sounded like an easy answer. He was lauded as a hero anyway, by most people. At least that was his public reputation. 

Their conversation was interrupted by the sight of streaks of light going across the sky. 

“Look!” Clark said, pointing. “Shooting stars!”

“They’re not stars at all.” Lex said. “The light is from meteorite - dust and rock burning up as they fall into Gaia’s atmosphere.”

“Hush, you nerd. Just enjoy it.” Clark said, grinning affectionately. 

“Nerd”? What kind of juvenile insult…but Lex listened. He stood with Clark under the stars, watching the meteor shower. 

“Lex, are you making any wishes?” Clark said. “I made twenty-three.”

“Twenty-three?” Lex laughed. “And some people say LuthorCorp is greedy...”

“Hmm, you probably won't remember them all, so I put them all together into one.” Clark said, edging closer.

“You’re not suppose to tell your wishes or they don’t come true.” Lex said. Not that he believed in anything like wishes coming true or not. But it was general knowledge people knew. “How do you turn twenty-three wishes into one?”

“Oh, I have to tell it - to help it come true.” Clark said. He was close enough that Lex could see his meadow green eyes, beautiful in the dark. “The one is…I'd like to spend more time with you.”

Clark kissed him. Soft. Urgent. 

Lex enjoyed the kiss for all of three seconds. He had to break the kiss because his laughter rattled. It couldn't be contained. 

This was why you shouldn’t say your wishes out loud. Because it won’t come true. I’m going to break up with you. If not tonight, then tomorrow. Soon. I can’t grant any of your twenty-three wishes or even just the one... 

“Um, are you okay, Lex?” Clark asked. "Why are you laughing? I was serious!"

“I’m fine.” Lex lied. “It’s over.” The meteor shower had ended. They were also over. Were going to be. Lex was going to say it. Soon - 

“Do...you want to look at the stars some more then?” Clark asked with exasperation. He pulled out a telescope from somewhere - from the trees.

“What?” Lex stared. “Why…how do you have a telescope?”

“This is one of my hiding places.” Clark said. “I wondered if you knew because you stopped here. It’s where I store some stuff.”

Lex didn’t know. He picked this area because he thought Clark would like the trees. He helped Clark set up and adjust the telescope. 

“You know how to use a telescope?” Clark asked. 

“Yes.” Lex knew how to use many instruments. During campaigns, in a camp at night, when he couldn’t sleep…if he didn’t have people to hunt down - he would look at the stars. 

“You can use it as much as you want.” Clark said, stepping aside and urging Lex toward the telescope. 

Lex does but he doesn’t use it for long. He wanted Clark’s company, not to look by himself. Changing his mind again - leaving, not leaving. 

“We can look at the constellations together.” Lex said. 

“Oh! Which ones are your favorite?” Clark asked. “Do you know what that is?” Clark pointed and gestured. 

“The twins constellation - Palom and Porom. Legendary materia users.”

“Yeah!” Clark said, moving to another target. “How about that?”

“Pollendina the Ship.”

More gesturing. 

“The Leiden Temple.”

“I’m going to stump you.” Clark said determinedly, throwing his hands up again. 

“Blighted Despot Scarmiglione, Drowned King Cagnazzo, Empress of the Winds Barbariccia, and Autarch of Flame Rubicante.” Lex smiled, naming the Four Elemental Emperors each correctly and in turn, their titles included. Lex could even speak of the reign of each one.

“You really know your constellations.” Clark said with frustration. “…My favorite is the Paladin, by the way.” 

“I’m partial to the Dragoon myself.” Lex answered. 

"Which means you probably know where to find it." Clark sighed. If that was his ace, Lex knew of it and it wouldn't work.

Clark pointed at the North Star and the larger [collection of seven stars ](http://holykaw.alltop.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/14174182-media_httpfarm5static_FFyFo.jpg) around it.

“I can still defeat you. Do you know what that is?” He said mischievously. 

The most commonly found constellation in the sky? Lex thought. Some kind of challenge that was. There was some kind of trick in store. But Lex wasn’t sure what. He might as well walk into it.

“The Carnelian Signet, with it’s fuse.” Lex said. 

“Nope. That’s Ra - oh, ah, that’s Gaia’s whip.” Clark said. 

“ ‘Gaia’s whip’?” Lex queried. He had never heard that before. Also, he was pretty sure if you asked anyone else they would agree that the constellation was the Carnelian Signet. 

“Yup. When you connect the dots it’s a whip.” Clark said.

“No, it’s a fuse.” Lex said. Because it wasn’t a fair victory at all if Clark was making stuff up. “Maybe we should get someone else here and ask them what - ”

“No!” Clark said. “I just want it to be the two of us.” 

“Hmph.” Lex said. Just the two of them…he looked at the night sky. “Do you think that there’s anything or anyone out there?” 

“…like aliens?”

“Yes.” Lex said. “To your question, not whether or not I think there’s any out there. I’ll believe it when I see it.” 

“There’s bad things…and good things out there.” Clark said vaguely. But by his tone he seemed to be leaning more toward the bad. Clark sat to the ground, curling his arms around his legs and burying his head. The energy he had previously displayed appeared to have been drained away. 

There was a deathly silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m full on using Zack/Aerith canon for Lex and Clark. So 23 wishes and 89 letters. 
> 
> Probably not all stars will be visible depending on season, time, location and hemisphere but this is weird fusion Earth and the planet’s called Rao. The stars Lex and Clark look at are all references to Final Fantasy IV since [I’m making Rao’s avatar Rydia (FF4). ](http://wyrmlivvy.tumblr.com/post/129832581062/rydia-final-fantasy-iv-aka-what-im-setting-as)
> 
> The Big Dipper is Rao's Whip, seen in the first picture.  
> The second one is also older Rao. 
> 
> But 2000 years ago, before the Calamity appeared, Rao is the third picture, more smiley and carefree. (Oh sweet summer child)
> 
> I am messing around with SV and FF alot. If I had to personify earth it would be Rydia, she is green and has yellow stars.


	15. Series

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gifts are exchanged. Lex is a nerd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Continues writing all the Clex stuff off my list of trash kinks* 
> 
> This fic needed more nerd and science Lex in addition to him being a LOVELESS fanboy so I added some. When I thought I would get to the end of the first arc before I started school again I was being way too optimistic.
> 
> Unbeta'd.

Lex had to change the atmosphere. 

He sat down by Clark and gently touched his shoulder. 

“Lex?” Clark looked up curiously. 

A wrapped present was being offered to him.

“You can open it right now.” Lex said. 

“Oh.” Clark accepted the present gracefully and opened it with as much care. “This is…!” His eyes brightened. 

The wrapping opened to reveal new, hand-bound, gold framed edition of LOVELESS.

“Thank you.” Clark surprising Lex with a sudden hug. “I’ll really read it now.”

Lex broke the embrace first. That will probably be the last thing I give you. He thought.

“Will you promise to keep it?” He couldn’t help but tease. “There’s just one. Of course books are to be shared and borrowed as long as you get it back event - ”

“Nope.” Clark said. “It’s mine. No one’s borrowing it.” He held the book close and carefully hid it in the cloak he left in the car. “But now what do I give?” Clark walked. He looked behind a tree and reappeared with a sunflower. “More sunflowers are definitely not appropriate.” 

“Are you sure about that?” Lex asked. “I go through them pretty fast.” 

“You…” Clark blushed. “But you do it without me. I don’t think your imagination’s as good as I am.” He approached Lex. 

What is wrong with me? Lex thought, standing up. Do I want to break up with him or not? I keep on saying things...

Say things. Lex glanced at the sunflower. 

"Why do you grow flowers, Clark? Why this hobby and not others?" Lex asked. 

Clark stopped walking. "It’s my heritage from both...my parents." He said. 

"They were farmers." Lex said. "But your parents' occupation doesn't mean heritage." If that were the case, occupation equaling heritage - he and Tess were doomed to follow Lionel. 

"It's my heritage." Clark repeated. "Why'd you ask?" 

"Scientific curiosity. There's certainly easier hobbies." Lex said. With the Lifestream being taken out to make krypton, things usually didn’t grow. The city was gray steel and concrete - no green to speak of except reactor exhaust. What was it about that area in Clark's barn? "It’s not simple to grow flowers in Metropolis, because of the reactors present. Attempts should have brown, withered results but the sunflowers in your barn, located well within in the city limits - ". 

"I wish you would be a little less curious." Clark frowned. But then his expression changed. "...I remember you telling me we'd get to do something at the Fortress - I guess you can be as curious as you want there. Find out a few things then...or right now." Clark prowled closer. 

“Clark, do you know - ” Lex walked back a few steps. “About Fibonacci numbers?”

“Fibonacci numbers?” Clark said quizzically, also confused about Lex moving away. 

“They’re a sequence of integers. Start at 0 an then go to 1.” Lex said. “Add 0 and 1 and you get 1 again. Then the sequence continues with 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and 13. Do you notice anything?” Lex backed up some more. They were nearing his car. 

“Hmm.” Clark stopped and considered. Both of them were right by Lex’s car now. A moment passed. “Can you repeat the sequence for me?”

“0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13.” Lex said. 

“I think I got it.” Clark said. “Each number…is the sum of the two before it!”

“Yes, you did.” Lex smiled. “And it continues with 21, 34, 55, and 89. If you divide a number by the number before it, especially with bigger numbers, it’ll result in the Golden Ratio.”

“Golden Ratio?” Clark said. “Um, 34 divided by 21 and 89 divided by 55 is…”

“Approximately 1.618034.” 

“Okay…I’m not sure why you’re telling me this though.”

“How many petals do [irises](https://www.google.com/search?q=iris+flower&biw=1242&bih=574&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIq9aT7LvyxwIVDI4NCh2ZEgsO%0A%0A) and [lilies](https://www.google.com/search?q=lilies&biw=1242&bih=574&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI9ZLesbryxwIVSJQNCh05uw0x) normally have?" Lex asked.

“Iris have three and lilies have six, but it’s more like three and three?”

["Buttercups?"](https://www.google.com/search?q=buttercups&biw=1242&bih=574&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI3v2j7pTzxwIVR4oNCh27-Q1y)

“Five.”

[“Corn marigolds?”](https://www.google.com/search?q=corn+marigolds&biw=1242&bih=574&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI3paC7bryxwIVAdGACh0CwgIP)

“Thirteen.” Clark said. “Uh, okay. You can stop now…I get it. They’re all fiber…key numbers.” 

“Fibonacci numbers.” Lex corrected. “You can find the numbers everywhere in nature. The arrangement of a flower’s petals, of their leaves around a stem. A pinecone, the scales of a pineapple. Plants are like this because it’s the most efficient way to grow and maximize sun exposure.” 

Yes, Lex was really getting into the lecture now. No need to think of doing other things. Clark was listening. 

“For example, sunflowers.” Lex continued. “By dividing a circle into Golden proportions, where the ratio of the arc length are equal to the Golden Ratio, the angle of the arcs is 137.5 degrees. If you look at a [sunflower](http://www.maths.surrey.ac.uk/hosted-sites/R.Knott/Fibonacci/fibnat.html#seeds) you’ll see a Golden Spiral arrangement in how the seeds are aligned because it maximizes the number of seeds that can be packed into a seed head.”

“Shh. That’s enough and way too many numbers.” Clark said. “Can’t you just appreciate it as nature…like oh that flower is pretty, or smells nice, and the petals are soft.”

“Numbers and geometry is a perfectly acceptable way to appreciate nature.” Lex said. 

“Okay, Professor Swift. Just don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers once in a while instead of counting stuff.”

Professor Swift? The title reminded Lex of Fine… Lex frowned. 

“What was that thing you said a little back though? Something about a seed head.” Clark said. When did he get so close? "You gave me a gift but I'm not sure I have anything."

“Will you accept it…if I offered you my body?” Clark said, and Gaia, he doesn’t go up to Lex. He fell back onto the hood of Lex’s car. Displaying himself. The way Clark looked spread...An offering, a sacrifice - a virgin sacrifice. 

“Lex…you’re giving me a complex.” Clark groaned. “Is something wrong with me? Am I so undesirable?” 

It’s not you, it’s me. Lex thought. But he didn’t dare say something so cliché and ridiculous, no matter how true it was. 

I want you so bad and that’s the problem. I want you in many ways, all of them. I want your body and soul. I want to drink your blood, your spirit. I want you to be a part of me and never leave. 

Lex knelt. Because that was the thing to do when begging for forgiveness. But he pulled open Clark’s pants.

“Yespleasethankyou.” Clark said, his words running together. 

Lex took him into his mouth. He held Clark’s hips but kept his grip loose and allowed Clark to buck, to thrust. Lex could take it. He focused on technique, not thought, but the thoughts arrived anyway. Lex wanted to give something good to Clark for the times he had probably left him aching, at the theater, at the tailor's... Lex wasn’t going to fulfill promises or any wishes. But he could do this one, which was selfish too. He wanted to know what Clark’s come tasted like. How did it compare to his blood? 

The answer spilled onto his tongue. Lex swallowed all of it - a desperate thirst, and licked it off of the sensitive flesh. 

“I think...I think I returned for a bit there.” Clark gasped. "I love your mouth. You can talk as much as you like."

“Returned?” Lex asked once his mouth could be used for speaking. 

“I…um. I had to…return to the planet…earth, because you gave me an out of body experience?” Clark said. 

“An out of body experience?” Lex asked. “ _La petit mort_?”

“What?”

“It means ‘the little death’. A metaphor for orgasm. Or the spiritual release that comes with it.” Lex said. “The state of unconsciousness or transcendence some people go into after a sexual experience as a result of the expenditure of the some ‘life force’, resulting in a little death. It - ” 

“Nevermind, Lex…please stop talking.” Clark groaned. “Did you have your ‘little death’ yet? Because you should.” 

Clark was…rolling over. 

Lex does stop talking. Because he’s lost words. 

“If this is bad? Inside the car instead? I'm sure you have supplies there because I looked. Or the ground, I won't mind.” Clark said. “You made me come twice now…and I want you to feel good like how you made me feel…” 

“It’s late.” Lex said, wildly looking for an excuse. 

“Not that late. There’s time!” Clark insisted, turning back around to look at Lex. “…I should have taken care of you first.” 

“You don’t know how many rounds I can go once I start.” Lex said. He was a supersoldier after all. And shit, why did he say that. He was very guilty of mixed signals. Clark didn’t know he was a SOLDIER - the bloodthirstiest one. “We don’t have time. I need to get you back to your parents.” 

Clark sighed. “You’re kind of weird, Lex.” 

Lex could say the same about Clark. 

"If I die a virgin I'm going to blame you." Clark said. "- Not that there's anything wrong with being one."

"I guess I must have imagined giving you a blowjob." Lex said. 

"That was real and great." 

"Virginity is a cultural construct - not 'real' but there's meaning and value assigned to it." Lex said. " 'Losing it' doesn't have to involve a dick entering a hole. What if two people who didn't have one between them had sex? Oral, with fingers...does it not count? What is 'virginity' then?" 

Clark blinked. "Oh...if we were both born girls and um, uh...got sexual with each other? Okay...I didn't see problems with it until you point it out. But it'd totally count. I'd see it that way. We would?" 

"It doesn't count according to the larger societal structure."

Clark sighed. "Virginity is fake and actually doesn't make sense but I consider it important the first time I'll allow someone...to put their cock in my ass and fuck me there, okay? Or my first time fucking someone..." He looked at Lex.

Fuck. Lex had made eye contact. Something heated and hungry settled in Lex's stomach. Clark on top of him. Clark entering him and - . "I thought you said that was a bad word." Lex said, breaking eye contact. He thought about a long sequence of Fibonacci numbers.

"And you're a bad, teasing person." Clark grumbled, closing his pants properly. “I’m going to give you another gift. Since you didn’t accept my body entirely...” He stood up and walked toward the trees, returning shortly later with three unlabeled bottles. “Here.” He offered them to Lex. “It’s wine I made using grapes I planted a long while ago.” 

Lex accepted the offered bottles. They were cold. Strange. 

“These are cold.” Lex said, thinking about his inability to make up his mind about Clark. The cool bottles helped because his skin felt hot. 

“I used an ice materia.” Clark said. 

“Thank you, Clark.” Lex said. He stowed them away in his car. 

“You’re welcome.” Clark said. “Why didn’t you say that earlier? Geez. I would have said you’re welcome _in_.”

So, Clark was still sexually frustrated. 

“You’re welcome to get _in_ the car so I can drive you home.” Lex countered.

Clark got into his seat, slamming the door a bit harder than was necessary. 

Lex dropped him off within walking distance but not close enough that he would have to face Clark’s parents. Clark could deal with it. Lex didn’t think he had the mental energy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nature's numbers/Fibonacci sequence stuff adapted from [these](http://www.maths.surrey.ac.uk/hosted-sites/R.Knott/Fibonacci/fibnat.html) [sources](http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emat6680/parveen/fib_nature.htm)
> 
> La petite mort:  
> Lex was low-key thinking this in the chapter where Clark was temporarily human in my “What Kind of Man” fic. But I thought it was more suitable here because foreshadowing. But then again, does French even exist in this fusion world? I literally took words from wikipedia.


	16. Clementia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clark meets with someone late at night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter warnings: Consent issues in the last scene of this chapter (if you'd like more info message me here or on my tumblr). There’s kinky dream stuff which is Clark/“other”, and “f”/m/m. It's narratively relevant(ish)…I swear…
> 
> Unbeta'd.

Lex drove back to his apartment. He put away all the bottles but one. It was chilled perfectly. He didn’t have a chance to drink any wine during their picnic since he went for lemonade but now he could. Lex poured himself a small sample. Who knew if Clark actually knew how to make wine or not? Lex was more of a Scotch person...but the wine was incredible. Clark had made it using grapes he grew himself and the wine was almost as good as his blood… 

Lex had to go back to Clark. He had to break up with him immediately. Tonight. 

He put himself into the car again and drove. Instead of going to the Kents residence, he headed to the place he and Clark had gazed at the stars. He doesn’t know why except that’s where he ended up. He parked the car and crept among the shadows. 

The voices he heard drove a spike through his heart. It was Clark’s voice. And a woman’s. Clark was seeing a woman this late at night?

Lex had sucked him off not even two hours ago. But Lex didn't fuck him or let Clark do so to him. What if Clark was looking for that elsewhere?

I should have just taken him like that, bent over my car - when he offered himself to me. Lex thought. Calm down, Lex. No need to be a jealous boyfriend. You’ve basically made up your mind to break up with him already. 

But Lex was jealous. Especially, when he recognized the voice. It was somebody he knew. 

Mercy. Mercy of the Virtues! This was worse than Isobel.

It was unmistakably her voice. Lex inched closer. 

Apparently they met before. They have been meeting for years. Something about how she had been his jailer. That sounded like some kinky shit. Was Clark honest about being a virgin? 

But then the context filtered in. Lex felt shame. Mercy had been one of Clark’s jailers when he was held in Fine’s laboratories. She had foiled many of his escape attempts. 

An anger rose inside Lex, at Mercy. Meanwhile, Clark was so patient and forgiving it was infuriating. 

“I apologize for what happened several days ago. Your capture nearly happened because I was under Augustus Luthor’s direct command.” Mercy said. “However, this has been going on for far too long.”

Lex had to agree with that.

“It’s the same dance.” Mercy continued. “We run into each other. I try to convince you to join LuthorCorp. You try to convince me to leave. We both say no and you give me some letters to deliver.”

Was Clark treating one of the Virtues as a mail carrier? And she had accepted the letters all this time? 

Wait a minute. Lex had gained back the lost memories that happened in the Fortress of Solitude when Clark had taken him there. He did remember that Clark gave Mercy multiple letters. It wasn’t a bribe or love notes for her. 

What ever this was, it had been going on since before Clark was fourteen. 

Now, Lex was hearing the letters were personal correspondence. 

Or not correspondence, that would imply the other person replied. Which they didn’t. 

“Okay, since this dance has to go in a certain order…” Clark said. “Do you have anything for me from Joseph?”

“No.” Mercy said flatly. 

Who’s Joseph? Lex thought.

“Ahh…the same dance step in reply.” Clark said disappointedly. “I considered what you said and I think…I’m going to let go.” Clark said. “Not because I think he’s dead - because he’s not. I would know if he Returned. He’s alive but he’s just…not replying…”

What did “returned” mean? It sounded odd - like Lex was missing some key context for the words to actually make sense. Was it like the awaited return from LOVELESS? _Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return..._ Did Joseph not promise to wait, but Clark planned to return anyway, expecting him to still be there? Did Clark believe in true love because he was holding on to someone he had met in his childhood - a friend? An innocent first love? Lex didn't even know Joseph and that person was rapidly climbing his list of people he did not like.

"Did you tell him I was sorry...I couldn't bring him along too?" Clark said, sounding weary and sad. 

“He forgave and forgot. And you didn't promise or owe him anything.” Mercy said. “I keep on telling you...If he wanted to escape he could have done that himself. He’s loyal to LuthorCorp.”

"You can say that I never promised to leave with him, and that's true...but some things don't have to be said, you know?" Clark said. “Well, this is the last letter. I thought I’d give him up to 100…but I guess 89 is good place to stop too. It’s a Fibonacci number. It means I've written 34 plus 55 letters to him these past ten years..."

Lex was in shock - his heart sped up and he felt warm even in the chill night air. Clark had paid attention to what he had said. 

He heard the sound of movement. Clark giving her the letter. 89 letters! Ten years? That meant since he was nine. And the other person, Joseph - somebody Clark had met while in the labs? Hadn’t replied to any of them. Lex thought if he were to ever encounter that person he’d stab him with Kopis. Many times. 

There was a sound Lex recognized because he had heard it during parts of the play. Clark was _crying_. 

"S-sorry, Mercy. This is really uncool." Clark said. "I-I swear I'm not some s-snot-nosed brat anymore but...I'm really letting go."

Lex was ready to murder Joseph. Sure, Lex had no idea where he was or what he looked like but that was his thought. The other thought was his desire to comfort Clark. But that was impossible right now. The soft cries continued. Lex had his hands balled up in fists.

"Is he...happy?" Clark asked. 

"Last I saw him, yes." Mercy said.

"That's...I'm glad." Clark said, his sniffles settling.

There was a brief silence.

“There are probably only a handful of people in the world who really know me.” Clark said, sounding mostly recovered. 

“And I’m supposedly one of the gifted few? Amusing…” Mercy replied. 

Was Lex one of the few? He doubted it and there was the feeling of jealousy again. Mercy had been meeting Clark for years. What did she know about him that Lex didn't? The more he thought about it, Clark was rather mysterious.

“But I don’t know much about you.” Clark said. “What’s your hometown? Do you get along with your parents?” He asked the last in the tone of someone who was currently not getting along with his parents. Lex suspected he was to blame for that.

“The sectors were once towns with real names but the city grew up on them overtime.” Mercy said, actually opening up. “Most people can’t recall what they were called or the information was removed…I have some hand in that. And I’m from Sector 5…which was once called Midvale. I grew up in the orphanage there - I don’t recall my parents.”

“I’m sorry.” Clark said, and it was achingly sincere. “It must have been tough - ”

“You’re naive if you think I never had choices.” Mercy said. “I assassinate people for a fat check.” Mercy said. “A Luthor says shoot - and I say who? How many bullets?” 

“You could…change your job?” Clark suggested. “You’re not that…bad? You’ve let me go all this time.”

“The only way out is in a body bag.” Mercy said. “And I’ve sent many people into one. I’ve broken apart countless families. Just because I returned you to yours - you think me letting you go can make up for that? There are many people who weren’t as lucky.”

“I thought you were supposed to be convincing me to join LuthorCorp…” Clark said weakly. 

“Not every person who enters the SOLDIER program is there willingly.” Mercy continued. “I kidnap people for the program. The people with the most suitable minds and bodies. They’re good, strong people who wouldn’t be in the program otherwise...My targets. Do you despise me now?” 

If Clark hates you, he’d hate me more, Lex thought bitterly. 

“I can’t say…that doesn’t alarm me…but you can always stop…”

“I hold countless corporate secrets. Leaving is impossible.” Mercy said. “If I’m instructed to bring you in on a silver platter I would. You’re only safe now because Augustus lost interest in catching random experiments. WATCHTOWER is of greater importance.” 

“…you know lots of company secrets? Do you know about an employee called Step- ”

“I’m not going to tell you any.” Mercy snarled. "Don’t act like we’re friends.”

Lex was sure his heart was ready to emerge from his chest because Clark had attempted to ask about him. (Lex had considered researching Clark too, but then he’d have to deal with Fine. Or Fine might become aware of Clark.) And Clark was pissing off an extremely dangerous person. 

“You’re brave...or rather foolish.” Mercy said. “It’s late at nighttime and you’re alone with me. If I killed you right now - no one would hear you scream.” 

Lex tensed. If Mercy tried anything he was going to reveal himself, damn the consequences. 

_Are you faster than bullets, Mr. Swift?_

“If you were going to do something. You would have done it a long time ago.” Clark said, stifling a yawn. 

“Hmph...You should get to bed.” Mercy said. 

“Wow.” Clark said. “You’re treating me like I’m still a kid.”

“Go. To. Sleep.” Mercy said. “Unless you need my help to make it forever.”

“Um, no thanks.” Clark squeaked. “I’m going now.”

The sound of retreating footsteps. 

There was no sound for awhile.

“General Alexander, you can step out now.” Mercy said. 

Lex does. Mercy was still. Waiting for commands, or a lecture. 

“I won’t stop him from meeting with you if he wants to.” Lex said. "But tell him to stop meeting you."

"Believe me, I've tried."

Lex sighed. "Then don't you dare threaten him ever again, or put him in danger if you can help it. Actively avoid him.” 

“Understood, sir.”

“The letter.”

Mercy handed the sealed envelope to Lex. Lex stared at it. He was so tempted to open it, to read what Clark had written for someone else. But it would be a violation. 

“Have you truly delivered any of them to Joseph?” Lex asked. Because if that Joseph person whom Clark was sure was alive, received but didn't responded to 88 going on 89 letters? He didn’t deserve them. Lex should have this 89th.

"Yes." Mercy said. "However, many of them could not be delivered."

“Where are the undelivered ones?”

“In a secure box. All of them unopened.” Mercy said. 

Lex had to protect Clark’s letters from being traced. He didn’t doubt Clark’s carefulness. Well he did, because he let Mercy deliver the letters in the first place. But there could be clues in the letters, a way to latch onto a location. 

“Mercy, burn all of them.” Lex said. "Including this one." He handed the letter back to Mercy; deciding he couldn't invade Clark's privacy. And he wasn't sure he could bear the contents of the letter. A tearful goodbye for someone else. 

“Are you sure, sir?” She asked, accepting it.

“Yes.” Lex said. Because the letters could put Clark at risk. Lex wasn’t jealous of that person at all. Lex was the one who got to be with Clark, that person couldn't. But Lex was also going to leave Clark soon. “You can go now, Mercy.”

Mercy left. 

Lex goes back to his residence. He drank down all three bottles of wine.

—

In sleep, Lex does not find peace. 

He was inside a glass chamber and he wasn’t alone. 

Clark was in the glass chamber too…and completely naked. 

They both were - except Lex was attempting to hide himself with the white feathered wing that protruded from his right shoulder. It was folded in front of his body. 

Clark had Lex backed against the glass, but Clark just looked at him. The only thing between them was Lex’s wing. Clark’s stiff dick nearly touched it. 

Fine’s disembodied voice echoed through the chamber. “Joseph, lend a helping hand to these endangered species. Both of them are on the brink of extinction.”

Someone entered the chamber. Joseph. 

He was more of an apparition than a person. An outline of an adult man. He didn’t have any features except for his mismatched eyes, one of them glowed red, the other krypton green. Some things were more clear - such as his cock. 

It goes into Clark. Joseph grinned at Lex from where he looked over Clark’s shoulder, slamming him forward. Clark groaned. 

Lex shouted - surprised, outraged and turned on. He unfolded his wing and pulled it back, open and against the glass behind him. 

With the wing gone, nothing stopped Clark from entering him because Joseph had sent Clark into Lex. 

Lex gasped. He wasn’t aware he had one until he felt Clark’s cock breaching it. A cunt. One that eagerly took Clark in. And Clark’s hand was on his wing, preventing Lex from moving it again and the wing was as sensitive as his pussy. Clark had his fingers entangled in the wing. Touching Lex’s feathers, raising his heartbeat, making his blood heat up. 

Joseph thrust forward suddenly, driving Clark’s body deeper into Lex. And Joseph kept doing it, pounding Clark’s body back and forth - fucking Clark and _having Clark fuck Lex._

Lex felt really, really good. He wasn’t even pissed anymore that Joseph had his cock in Clark’s ass. It was doing excellent work there. Clark kept playing with his feathers, scattering them. The touches didn't hurt at all - the opposite of pain in fact. 

He doesn’t know when vertical had turned horizontal but it had. Clark was on top of him, pinning his wing to the ground. Rubbing Lex’s feathers, and by now he didn’t need Joseph’s help with pushing his cock into Lex, but Joseph still sometimes gave a good slam to send Clark in deep. These things made Lex moan and scream - it made him come. 

He was not the only one. Clark gripped Lex’s wing tightly as a brief warning before coming inside him. 

Lex had to assume Joseph had come too when he wrapped his hand around Clark’s throat and squeezed before shuddering and giving an inhuman groan. Joseph dragged Clark back, extracting him from Lex. 

Lex wondered if things were over. He got his answer shortly. It wasn’t. 

Joseph does have a mouth after all. A tongue came out of it and the tongue goes in between Clark’s cheeks - not the ones on his face. Lapping out of it. 

Clark moaned but the sounds became muffled once he followed Joseph’s example and buried his mouth into Lex’s pink slit, licking up the come he had spilled. 

“Stop that!” It was Fine’s voice again. “Leave it in, KA-23872!”

“It’s Kal.” Clark said, the first words he’s spoken. Joseph had disappeared. 

“You’ll have to do it again.” Fine’s voice said like a command. 

Clark doesn’t say anything. He held Lex again and Lex’s wing curled around his back, embracing him. Of course this was a dream because Clark was hard again and Lex was ready when Clark reentered him. 

Lex woke up with a slight hangover. Usually, it took more than what he had consumed. 

He’s also hard.

He took care of it in the shower and tried not to let his mind go there but it does. The dream replayed in his mind and he reached completion. 

The dream. Fantasies. That’s the closest Lex was going to get to getting fucked by Clark. Things really had to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was an exploration of what it actually means for Mercy to work for an evil Lex and it’s hecked up tbh. And on some level it's Aerith and Tseng.
> 
> Mercy Graves & Clark Kent is now a relationship tag in this fic. 
> 
> From the wikipedia page of Metropolis, Midvale is one of the six boroughs of Metropolis. It is “a suburb of Metropolis, more well known as the home of Supergirl and the site of the Midvale Orphanage.” 
> 
> Therefore I decided to make it the original name of one of the sectors before they were reduced to numbers. I also made Mercy from that orphanage. 
> 
> The return of jealous!Lex :0  
> I love that thing where someone is jealous of themselves. (Like Clark being jealous because Lois likes Superman and not him lol)  
> \--  
> I retconned Chapter 8 so Clark is certain the soldier (Lex) who crashed through the roof is alive. And Clark is also certain Joseph(also Lex) is alive too (but not writing back) because one of a Cetra (Kryptonian)’s ~powers~ is being able to tell when the soul of someone their close to/aware of returns to the Lifestream.


	17. Saltare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lex and Clark run, and dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd.

The words were front of his eyes but Lex was unable to parse meaning. He couldn't focus on the report on the reactor he had to check up on. So there were too many stray monsters and the reactor was malfunctioning but how and why? Even the engineers couldn't figure it out?

Lex took a break and decided to call Mercy. 

“Mercy, I took a stroll in the graveyard the other day…” Lex said. 

That was a lie and they both knew it. 

“…and I seemed to have lost a Double Cut materia while I was there. I need you to go find it for me.” Lex knew how spoiled he sounded. Sending her, a Virtue, for such a task. But she had to listen, she was well-compensated for it. 

“Yes, sir.” Mercy answered.

“I need it back no matter what.” Lex said. “Dig up a few graves if you have to.” 

Lex wasn’t unnecessarily cruel. He really did leave a materia in a coffin. He just wondered how many Mercy would dig up before she found the right one. It should keep her out of trouble for the day and away from any assignments that would have her send more people there. 

—

Lex eventually found Clark. 

Unfortunately, it’s because Clark was being chased by a group of armed soldiers. 

Lex lied in wait. Then he suddenly grabbed Clark and pulled him into an alley. 

The soldiers ran by. 

“It’s me - ” Lex began but his speech was cut off as he found himself being encased in ice. Reflexively, Lex smashed out of it. He was reminded of being attacked by Xanthuians. He grabbed both of Clark’s arms and tugged off the red ribbon he had equipped, rendering him unable to use materia. 

“I’m so sorry, Lex! Are you okay?” Clark said. There was an edge of fright in his voice, considering Lex’s display of strength. 

“I’m okay.”

“You’re holding my wrists tightly, it kind of hurts.” 

Lex let go and began brushing aside the ice shards on his body. 

Clark helped him. Then, he gave Lex a full-bodied hug, fingers seeking skin to check temperature. Lex doesn’t shiver because of cold. 

How can I let you go if you hold me like this? 

Clark was already close. It doesn’t take much for him to press his lips to Lex’s. His are comparatively warm. Clark’s lips yield, and tasted of bread and honey. 

I’m cold. That’s all. Lex thought. That’s why I’m holding him so tightly and kissing back. 

He broke the kiss and the embrace to talk. “I’m fine, but how about you?” Lex looked Clark over, for injuries. 

Clark flushed under the attention. “Me? The same old things. Haha…they’re looking for me again…” Clark said, his laughter despairing. 

Again. A regular occurrence. It was like being cut - realizing that if Clark didn’t laugh he would be crying. He was someone that was constantly being hunted.

There were the sound of boots, some of the soldiers must have circled back around. 

Lex doesn’t even have to say run. Clark took his hand and Lex returned the grip. They ran together. 

—

It took them a while to lose most of, but not all the soldiers. 

They’re in the upper part of the city and they take a turn, running into a fancy dancing hall to avoid being cornered. Lex wouldn’t look too out of place here but Clark would. Lex climbed into the room he knew outfits were stored, taking Clark with him. 

Clark began to rummage the closet. 

“A disguise is a good idea.” Lex said, picking pants and a jacket himself from the second closet. Once he had the items in hand he looked at Clark. 

Clark began to strip in Lex’s sight. 

“I’ll watch the windows.” Lex said hastily, turning around. Lex changed the jacket quickly. Then, he began to change out of his pants but felt the sensation of being watched. He turned around, in his underwear, to see that Clark was a state of undress. No shirts and no pants.

Lex felt a strong urge to run his fingers across Clark’s chest. And he had great legs. Toned calves. Probably from all the running he did…

Clark was slipping off his underwear - 

Lex spun back around to face the windows. “Why are you taking that off too?” Lex growled, trying not to think about how much he wanted to suck Clark’s cock again. Did a putting on a disguise really require removal of underwear as well? 

“You’ll understand if you watched me change.” Clark said. 

Lex didn’t look.

Moments passed. There was the sound of clothing being moved around and other actions but Lex wasn’t sure what. 

“You can really look now. I’m done.”

Lex turned around. 

Clark was in a red dress and matching red shoes. Flats, thank goodness. And he had found a hair extension somewhere, or had it on his person, because now his brown hair was much longer and worn long. The ribbon he had equipped on his arm was now tied in his hair. He had must have filled the dress carefully to have the smooth bust he did. 

“I thought your disguise would be different.” Lex finally managed to say. As in Clark would put on a top hat, monocle and a mustache…or something. “But you’re certainly disguised…it looks good.” You look good. I like it so much, I want to strip you of it. 

“Thanks. I had practice because Isobel didn’t want to be the princess all the time.” Clark said. 

Isobel? Right, his friend. 

There was the sound of soldiers approaching the window. 

They run out into the main ballroom area.

The began to dance among the couples present. They didn’t seem out of place. Though Clark was a bad dancer probably because he didn’t know the steps and couldn’t follow the music. Maybe people would just assume he was drunk. Lex wondered if he should teach Clark, but he had a nervous energy and Lex doubted trying to teach him now would help. 

They dance among the couples, with Clark hiding his face in Lex’s shoulder most of the time. It was distracting. Clark’s lips kept brushing his neck. 

“Chere?” Lex asked, because it was a better idea than calling Clark by his name right now. “You can ignore the music. Just dance a dance you’re familiar with. It should help you relax.”

It took Clark a moment but he recognized the reference. “Oh. Okay, Locke.” He smiled. 

Clark did dance. Lex realized he recognized it. He danced the accompanying role. It was a Xanthuian dance. How unusual… Lex wondered who had taught him. Or who he had watched perform it because Clark’s technique was improper if enthusiastic. Clark had picked the high energy half of the dance. However did Clark still have the stamina to decide to go with such a dance instead of preserving his energy? It’s fortunate they were relatively obscured behind plants. 

Clark was dancing and they were following the right sequence but he seemed surprised by Lex joining him. 

“Lex, I have something to admit.” Clark said. “I’m not sure why you’re dancing the way you are right now but…it matches my steps really well? Weirdly well, like those are the steps that go with it.”

“They are.” 

“Oh.” 

“You don’t even know the meaning and history of what you’re dancing?”

“Nope. Can you tell me?”

“It’s a dance calling for rain.” Lex said. “A great, long drought was being inflicted upon a village. There was little water to drink and the crops would not grow.” 

“I’m going to keep dancing until I break it then.” Clark said. 

“Breaking it is not up to you.” Lex said. 

“Why not?”

“Because the one responsible for the drought is a water god He’s holding back the rain.” Lex said. “Because he’s furious about them polluting the waterways.”

“Oh…they should clean it up then, so he won’t be mad.” 

“That is the right solution. But they figure that out later.” Lex said. “They set an eight day festival for it. On one day no fishing is allowed, on another offerings of food and drink are made, and throughout the natural environment is cleared of man-made debris.” 

“Yay!” Clark said. “But, what was their first solution then?”

“Human sacrifice of course.”

“What!”

“Well if something’s wrong a good sacrifice should appeased an angered god, right?”

“No! Can’t flowers, fruit…and honey be offered instead? Instead of people.”

“Looks like someone’s trying to get out of being a sacrifice.” 

“Huh?” 

“A beautiful woman dressed in red silk is left alone on a raft in the middle of a lake.” Lex said. “The cold could take her, or the water. There’s not much she can do but she decides to dance.”

Clark stumbled in the middle of a step. 

“The people had decided to offer the water god a virgin bride.” 

“…wait…am I…?”

“The Bride? Yes.”

“Hey!”

“That’s why you shouldn’t dance things without knowing what they are.”

“But if I’m - does that mean you’re - ”

“The water god.”

Clark was still dancing but now he had eye contact with Lex. “Are you going to let it rain now, husband?”

Lex laughed. “What makes you think he accepted her? He doesn’t let it rain just because she asks him to.”

“Then what does it take?”

“She dances until her feet bleed. Until the blood ran.”

Lex stared. Clark was still dancing, and with even more energy than before. Like he wanted to bleed. Dancing for him. Lex thought he understood now. Why the Xanthuians had been so protective of that sacred place the krypton reactor ended being built on. The place the Bride had first danced for the water god…

“Her effort moved him to tears. He revives her with some of their nuptial wine.” Lex continued. “Blood. Tears. Wine. The rain that finally touched the people and the crops is made from the three.”

“That’s good!” Clark smiled, reaching the end of the dance. “But when you said she needed to be revived? Does that mean she passed out…or died?”

“It depends on who’s telling the tale.” Lex said, completing his part. But the dance had a second phase. 

There was a nearing commotion. Lex looked. Soldiers had entered the place and they were actively looking at the faces of the people present. 

Shit. 

Clark was already holding his hand. Lex tried to walk with him as naturally, with a fast pace they could get away with as they made it down a corridor. 

But the soldiers could still be heard. 

They turn around a corner but it was a dead end. 

Lex tried opening a random door. He stepped inside and Clark followed him. 

The room had a four poster bed. 

Lex wasn’t sure if he really had a plan or he was too horny because dancing had brought his body close to Clark’s and now Clark had sweat on his body and Lex wanted to lick it off. 

He took off his jacket and just let it fall to the floor. His dress shirt followed it. 

Clark stared. 

“Oh…” He said. “Wow, this is my first time seeing you shirtless and you don’t disappoint but I’m not sure why because I thought we were suppose to be running and - ” He’s talking but his eyes were roaming Lex’s body. 

The footsteps were getting too close. 

Lex threw Clark onto the bed, under the covers. Lex crawled under them. He put his body on top of Clark’s, hiding him. The covers fall low and don’t hide his naked back. 

“I guess you’re making sure I don’t die a virgin?” Clark said hopefully. 

“Be quiet.” Lex said. “And follow my lead.”

Clark nodded. Lex brought his face close to Clark’s. Very close but not quite touching him. 

The door was never locked. A soldier stepped into the room. 

Lex moved his hips. Clark was dressed. Lex didn’t take off his pants, but he knew what it looked like. Underneath him Clark was turning red like his outfit. 

“Have you seen a - ” The soldier began.

Lex interrupted the soldier’s question with a loud moan. “You feel so good, I want to stay in you forever.” Lex punctuated each word with a strong thrust. 

Clark caught on. He shouted like he was really being fucked. 

“Sorry, sorry!” The soldier had slammed the door hastily before Lex finished speaking. The soldier probably knew what such a fancy room meant. It was for wealthy men and their mistresses, and to anger such people would doom a lowly infantryman. 

But even after the soldier was gone, Clark was making eager, needy sounds. 

Lex was too, keeping up the farce, aggressively pretending. Rubbing against Clark while there were still layers of clothing between them. 

He stepped off the bed. 

“We need to go.” He said. 

“Did you just tease me again?” Clark growled, rising from the bed. 

“That was just to send the soldier away and it worked.” Lex said. “Let’s leave.”

“No, net yet.” Clark said, falling back down on the covers. “I’m tired. My feet hurt.” He sat up and dangled his bare legs off the bed. 

Lex grasped Clark’s feet and slipped off the red flats, surprising him. 

“Who’s fault was that?” Lex said. “Picking the dance you did…”

“I ran too. Before that.” Clark blinked. “And it’s a great dance. I danced it pretty well, don’t you think?”

“Hmm.” Lex answered noncommittally. “I’m going to try and relieve the hurt, okay?”

Clark nodded. 

Lex used the Water materia he had equipped in his watch. He used the lowest level and carefully controlled it, so it surrounded Clark’s feet. 

Clark sighed with relief. “It does feel better. Thanks.” 

He watched as Lex became a bit more playful and swirled the water around too, having it curl higher, around Clark’s legs. 

“You’re going to soak my dress.” Clark complained, lifting the dress to his knees. “Though that’s quite a water dance.” 

Lex let the spell disperse, the water falling to the ground. “It wasn’t really finished.” Lex said, his eyes on Clark’s exposed legs. 

“Hmm?”

“The dance we did. Traditionally, one more action is required to truly complete the dance.” Lex thought about it. 

“How?” Clark asked. “I’ll finish it right now.”

“Stay on the bed.” Lex commanded. “The action is mine to take, not yours.” I’m really going to do this. 

Clark stayed still. 

Lex knelt. The cold water on the floor soaked into his pants. 

“The water god kisses the Bride’s feet.” Lex said, pressing his lips to Clark’s sole. 

Clark gasped softly.

“Do you know that there’s a second part to the dance?” Lex asked. “It’s optional though, and usually danced between spouses.”

“Oh? Tell me more…” Clark said. “More.” A demand. 

Lex continued. He licked the arch of the foot, the dip of it. 

“Later, the water god causes a huge storm. It floods the crops, houses, people...washing everything away”.

“Why? I thought you weren’t angry anymore!” Clark said. He moaned as Lex nipped his ankle lightly. 

“You?” Lex said, amused. “So, we’re roleplaying now? You’re referring to me as the water god…and you’re the Bride?” He spoke in between kisses and licks. 

“Yes.” Clark said. But to what? Lex’s question or his actions?

“You asked for rain, didn’t you?” Lex said. He sucked Clark’s toes and watched them curl. 

“You know that’s not we meant!”

Clark was putting himself in the Bride’s place. Siding with his fellow villagers, Making Lex the bad guy. 

“I can’t help what I am. It’s my nature.” Lex said. “Previously I withheld, now I give.” 

Lex took out the small healing potion in his pocket and spread the cool blue-green liquid on Clark’s feet. His calves too. Rubbing and massaging it in. 

“Uahh…” Clark said unintelligibly. “Please…”

“Please what? What are you begging for?” Lex tasted the mint flavor of the potion when he resumed his kisses. 

“Stop - ”

Lex released Clark’s foot. 

“Lex, I meant stop the storm! Not what you were doing - ”

“It’s not Lex. I’m your husband, the water god.”

“Gah. Please stop the storm…my love?”

“Too late. It’s already been summoned.” Lex said. “You think I’m something you can control? I’ll give rain when I feel like it, as much or little as I want.”

“But…” Clark swallowed. 

Lex bit Clark’s calves lightly. A pleased and hungry heat settled in his stomach, seeing Clark like that. Clark clutching the sheets, unable to find words, because of him. 

“It’s not control, I’m just ask - ”

Clark groaned because Lex had remembered a particularly sensitive spot on his sole. Even if Lex was speaking he could still use his hands to touch Clark. 

“…can you make the nice kind of rain?”

“So you want me to give mild weather always? Giving and giving. But only in the way you want it to be? Making the crops grow, nourishing the land. But you won’t accept me when I’m being destructive - you can’t have one without the other.” 

“Life and death…” Clark mumbled. 

“That’s right.”

“Can you just tell me how she deals with him?”

Lex lifted Clark’s dress all the way to his hips, revealing lacy red lingerie. So that was what Clark had removed his briefs to put on. The fabric was stretched by a hard length. It wouldn’t be good if Clark ran in this state. He would have to take care of it. Lex cupped his hands around Clark’s butt. Fingered the lingerie.

“Keep going.”

He pulled it down. 

“Have you ever heard the Xanthuian saying, ‘Bless the Bride’?”

“Yes.” Clark said. “Yes.” He repeated, looking at the lingerie Lex held in his hand. 

“Do you recall the context?”

“It was raining…”

Lex wrapped the sheets around Clark’s cock and stroked him. 

“What was the rain like?”

“It was light and…refreshing.” Clark gasped, the sheets getting tangled further, touching his bare skin.

“The Bride goes to the water god and asks him to make love to her.”

Lex rubbed the satin against Clark, around him. Slid it between his sensitive thighs. 

“Yes, please.” Clark said, squirming.

“He does…and she wears him out, until he’s too exhausted to summon a proper storm.”

“Oh, so that’s why, the saying…that’s a…interesting way…of stopping him… from causing destruction.” Clark said. The words don’t emerge easily. Clark was breathing hard and on the edge, close. 

“It is.” Lex doesn’t let go until Clark came. 

“Lex…” He gasped out. 

Lex pulled the sheet away. It’s as wrecked as Clark was. 

“That’s how the tale goes. But I’m doubtful of a mortal being capable of tiring a god, instead of the reverse.” Lex said. He looped the underwear through Clark’s feet and held both of his legs, ready to slip it back on. 

“You’re underestimating me.” Clark said. “Let’s go and see who’ll last.”

“Hmm…you don’t know what you look like…already in such a state.” Lex said. “And you haven’t even felt my cock yet.” 

He kept his grip on Clark’s legs steadfast, preventing him from rolling over. 

“Lex!”

Lex dragged the red slip back up and pulled the dress down. 

Clark adjusted the lingerie and dress unhappily. “Gaia…I think you were sent here to test me. I’m so confused.”

“We’ve lingered too long as it is.” Lex said, knowing how hypocritical he sounded considering the amount of time he had spent on Clark until Clark was spent. “We have to leave.” He held Clark’s foot again and slipped the red flats back on for both. 

Lex put his clothes back on. 

“This is worse than flowers, mirrors and cars, Lex.” Clark said, setting his feet on the ground and standing up. His legs _trembled_. “I use these feet to walk, all the time.”

“You’re telling me this because?” 

“Every step, I won’t be able to forget. I’ll be reminded of you.” 

Lex took Clark’s hand and they left the building. 

They found themselves in another alley. 

The place where it began would be a place to end it. 

“Clark, I have something to tell you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dance stuff was inspired by the manhwa "Bride of the Water God". Also, these scenes was a bunch of stuff off the list of tropes and things I wanted to write. I can't stop writing smut. Whoops.
> 
> I swear we're getting close to the end of the first arc I say as I have hit 50,000 words. :T
> 
> Comments are loved, post them here or [message my tumblr](http://wyrmlivvy.tumblr.com).


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